Chowpatty revisited

I wanted to share some memories of our short stay at Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir.

We spent about three days there and in truth it all went so fast - with the mad rush of packing our stuff and getting ready to move across the world, and more importantly checking Gopi out of the hospital after having spent two months there. Devotees who have visited there know how incredibly well organized the temple and ashram are.
The temple room itself is splendid and it reminds me of Prabhupada's palace in some ways - very grand and regal. The temple is now air conditioned*! especially for the classes and kirtans (when it gets packed). We were put up in a very nice guest room (also air conditioned*) situated right next to Vrindavan Forest - a garden in the temple complex with a nice seating area that is very chill.
*air conditioning, while common in the US is not a staple in India. many restaurants even have separate air conditioned and non air conditioned sections.

The best is the Govinda's restaurant -with a wood fired pizza oven from Italy! Anyways, a menu with varieties of pizza and dosas and you have my soul sold out!
It was a great to meet Gaur Nitai, his wife Guna and son Balagopal there. We got to spend some time together. Also, Bankim Raya Das from who I last saw in Columbus two years or so ago before he moved to Chowpatty and joined the ashram.
Well, Radha Gopinath Mandir is synonymous with Radhanath Maharaj and we were so fortunate that Maharaj was there when we visited. I met Maharaj at lunch the day after we got in ( we got in about 7 pm the previous evening) and he asked me about Gopi. He invited us to his room that evening.
Maharaj was as wonderful as ever and he spent a lot of time listening to Gopi's health while keeping Vrinda and Gopal amused. He invited us to spend as much time at the ashram there and told Gopilila that she could receive treatment at the Bhaktivedant hospital, too. Maharaj was very loving to her and told her that he was concerned for her and was thinking about her and praying for her everyday. He instructed her to pray to Sri Krishna saying that her life was His and that He could do whatever He wanted with it. Maharaj said that in this way that she would be very Krishna conscious and that if she left the world now she would go Home and if her health regained she would still be in a very good consciousness ( I hope this is close to what he said - my kali yuga memory is my cheap copout). We spent quite some time in Maharaj's room and them he gave us some nice prasad in neat little boxes (the prasad - sweets- were really good).
The day that we were leaving we got to see Maharaj again and he was really encouraging Gopilila and told her that he was praying for her. Just when we were all set to leave he had his servant bring us two little bottles of ayurvedic medicine, which he asked Gopi to take twice a day. Maharaj then showed up at our room and told Gopi to take the medicines and that he would send her more if she needed it. He then walked with us to the waiting vehicle....