On the morning of November 21, 2024, we placed Param Bhava’s ashes into the sacred river Yamuna in the holy land of Vrindavan, near Kesi Ghat.

The name Vrindavan means “Forest (van) of Tulasi (vrinda)”.

Param loved Tulasi and served her throughout her life. The holy land of the pastimes of Krishna, where Tulasi grows abundantly was the final resting place for her mortal body.

When I was asked at the hospital what I would do when she left, I told the nurse: “Well, if we were in India, I would place her body on a pyre made of the wood of Tulasi, and set it alight, then push it out into the sacred river Ganges, but here we do not have the sacred river.”

When Param’s body went into the fire in Auckland, I placed Tulasi wood brought by Acyuta-bhava dd at her feet, and placed water from the river Ganges brought by Janmastami das at her head.

And her ashes remained with us for three years. And then, by the grace of Krishna, we arrived at the sacred river Yamuna, the holiest of tributaries of the Ganges for devotees of Krishna, and placed Param within her embrace.

Param Bhava devi dasi ki jay!