Chicago Sunday Feast Kirtan July 5, 1976

Uttamasloka and Visnudatt

Chicago Sunday Feast July 5, 1976

By the time I reached Chicago in 1976, I was ready for a total immersion in the vibrant and beautiful cuisine of India. Cooking for Krishna was my service and was always looking for ways to enrich my offerings for Kishora Kishori. I learned to make Gujarati-style pickles, utilize different masalas and cooking methods to achieve optimal flavors, and dove into creating a wide variety of traditional dairy and panir dishes with an abundance of donated dairy products. It has been years and it is hard to remember everyone, since most devotees would help on occasion. Some of the devotees who significantly served in the kitchen were Ramakeli das, Kishora Kishori das and Chakri das along with Mothers Sadhbuj, Kalalapa, Sucharya, Govinda Priya and Bhumi. 

Just as we intently meditated on the Holy Names, every moment in the kitchen was geared toward the pleasure of Kishora Kishori.  For me, cooking was a process of devotional service.  Every aspect was important—thinking about what to prepare, organizing the preparation, cooking with fire, cleansing the kitchen and temple and, importantly, serving the devotees. Each step was a pillar for pleasing Kishora Kishori.  

When it came to Hare Krishna temples, this one had it all.  The incredible book distribution at O’Hare airport facilitated temple programs dynamically led by Uttamasloka das.  We focused on studying the philosophy and implementing vaishnava traditions of kirtans and prasadam.  No one would miss an arati and everyone participated in the full Sunday feast programs: Arati, kirtan, class, prasadam and interacting with the guests.  This was the chance to demonstrate the wondrous Krishna conscious life to the public. 

Soon, the program in Chicago became known throughout ISKCON. I received letters from devotees all over the world requesting information about the prasadam and kirtans I was recording. During that time, I was flown to Montreal to orchestrate the menu, and cook for, the installation of Radha Manohara. 

There were also cooking classes taught with Garuda das at the Northwestern University Student Union in Evanston. At the time, Garuda was working on his PHD in Sanskrit studies at the University of Chicago. With a great sense of humor, he was a very entertaining front man while I focused on the cooking. Good humor, philosophy and prasadam were a potent combination.

Arriving in Chicago after the 1976 Mayapur Festival, I worked with Vishnudatt in the kitchen to produce expertly crafted feasts.  Whether it was cooking or kirtan, he approached everything with an artistic eye.  

Visnudatt’s musicianship was akin to his cooking talent.  At the very least it could be described as inspired.  Most people were astounded by his ability to enhance the chanting of the Holy Names as one would dress the Deity.  When Uttamasloka and Vishnudatt would perform together, it was beautiful and ecstatic.  

This recording with Uttamasloka leading the Sunday kirtan accompanied by the complementary excellence of Vishnudatt’s  is a good example. There was a flow, a highlight of emotion and sweetness to these kirtans.  One would relish the feeling, remember the transcendental melodies and excitedly anticipated the next time.   

~Gopati dasa

About the Kirtan:  

Chicago Sunday feast with all the assembled Chicago yatra and guests July 5, 1976

Kirtan Leader:  Uttamasloka dasa (ACBSP

Mrdanga: Vishnudatt dasa (ACBSP)

Recording by Gopati dasa (ACBSP)

Equipment: Nakamichi 550 recording deck with 3 mic system

From: Feast, Quantity Cooking For Krishna’s Kitchen

GOPATI DASA recalls: Vishnudatt dasa was well-known as a kirtaniya, but many did not know that he was also an excellent feast cook. For most of 1976, we bonded over kirtan and prasadam while cooking for the pleasure of Chicago’s Kishora Kishori.

Vishnudatta’s approach to cooking for Krishna was akin to performance art. He would immerse himself in the process, not as the doer, but as a caretaker and representative of Srila Prabhupada’s guidance. His cooking performance for Krishna began with us first planning the feast; then the preparation and execution. The adventure culminated in carrying the plates to the altar.

One of Vishnudatta’s signature dishes was a matar panir with bread-like panir diamonds. The recipe that follows drew inspiration from this dish and was a favourite at the Chicago feasts. It was also served as part of the breakfast prasadam program, where we would personally serve the devotees fresh hot chapatis, two subjis, rice, dal and halava. In the winter, we even served traditionally fermented and freshly cooked, plate-sized jalebis (see page 371) to bolster the immune systems for a long day of book distribution at O’Hare airport.”

Website for Feast, Quantity Cooking For Krishna’s Kitchen: https://www.feastbook.info