Making lightweight and fragrant garlands for Prabhupada
Ramadevi dasi : Someone had told me that Prabhupada liked very lightweight, very fragrant garlands. So there are some English flowers like stock and sweet peas which are very, very fragrant, very pretty colors and very lightweight. So I would buy these from the flower market and in the van on the way to the Manor, I'd make the garland for Prabhupada. I was there one day and somehow or other Malati got hold of me and I was helping her, and the garland didn't get to Prabhupada during class time. She said, "Well, bring it up now with the prasadam." So she took me up to Prabhupada's room, and I had the garland and I was holding it as if inviting someone to take it from me to give it to Prabhupada. Prabhupada looked at me and he raised his head and indicated that I should come and give the garland. So I went forward. Needless to say, I was extremely nervous. I didn't want to touch Prabhupada, I didn't want to drop it on his head, I was petrified. But as I put the garland over his head, the top of his ear brushed the inside of my hand and it was so soft - I can still feel it now when I think about it - and he was smiling like anything. It was so wonderful. He said, "Thank you very much." For some reason, that day I was there for a long time. Prabhupada was walking around outside in the afternoon, and he still had the garland on. Those flowers are very, very delicate, and that garland was still as fresh as the minute I had put it on him and they said he'd been wearing it all day.
Reference: Memories-Anecdotes of a Modern-Day Saint by Siddhanta Dasa
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