Vrindavan, 2016.07.27 (VT): Vrindavan’s other Padmashri, Ram Swaroop Sharma, sang a last goodbye to his friend and rival, Hargovinda Swami. Thousands of Vrindavan residents — raasacharyas, devotees, respected citizens and political leaders — participated in the funeral procession up to the cremation ground in an emotional farewell.
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Hargovindaji left his body as a result of heart failure on Monday night. On Tuesday, the procession with his mortal remains left his Govinda Vihar residence in the Motijheel area. A large crowd had already gathered by 9 a.m. when the procession set off. In the midst of loud chanting of the Holy Name, the citizens of Vrindavan accompanied the shava yatra to Banke Bihari and then through Athkhamba, Bankhandi, to the Rasa Manch and then along the Yamuna to the cremation ground.
As representatives of the government, City Magistrate Ram Araj Yadav and city CO Chakrapani Tripathi garlanded the body. Hargovindaji’s oldest son Swami Ram Prasad Sharma performed the mukhagni ceremony (placing the fire in the mouth of the lifeless body to begin the cremation).
Padma Shri Swami Ram Swaroop Sharma was Hargovinda’s inseparable and lifelong friend. On arriving at the river bank, he sat down beside the body and could not stop the tears from flowing. He then suddenly began to sing,
govardhana vāsī sāṁvare tuma bina rahau na jāegau|
braja raja laḍaite lāḍhale lāla, tuma bina rahau na jāegau||
Oh black one, resident of Govardhan, I cannot live without you.
Among those present were MLA Pradeep Mathur, chairman Mukesh Gautam, Padmashri Swami Ram Swaroop Sharma, Padmashri Krishna Chitrakar, Shrivatsa Goswami, Devakinandan Thakur, Swami Maheshananda Saraswati, Mahant Phuldol Bihari Baba, Swami Ramdevananda Saraswati, Haribol Maharaj, Yogesh Dwivedi, Saurabh Gaur, and many others.
There was some controversy over whether the Rasacharya who had been bestowed the Padmashri title in 2006 should be given a guard of honor at the funeral as was the case when Padmashri Kanhai Chitrakar, during his final farewell on August 16, 2013. The City Magistrate said that he had consulted with higher authorities and the official ruling is that it is only necessary to so honor those who have the Bharat Ratna award. The Padmashri is the fourth highest civilian honor in India.
Tributes poured in from across India and for many, Hargovinda Swami’s departure truly marks the end of an era for the Raas tradition in India.
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