Rajat Goswami Pandit

I have been living and working here in Bihari Pura for many years now. My address is 7 Vrindavan, and if you know the area, it is right in front of the Banke Bihari Temple. It is a very busy spot. From morning until night, the street is full of people coming to visit the temple. I spend most of my time right there at the entrance meeting people who are arriving. Being a pandit in a place like this is not like a regular job. You have to be there when the people need you for their rituals or prayers. I also spend a lot of time in Varanasi because I have work there as well. It’s a lot of traveling back and forth between the two cities. My setup isn't anything fancy or corporate. It is just me sitting in my spot, helping out with whatever needs to be done according to our traditions. Sometimes the noise from the temple bells and the crowds is quite a lot, but you get used to it after a while. I don’t have a big office or a staff of people. It is just me and my family history here. If someone needs a ceremony performed in the right way, they usually find me near the temple gate. I try to keep things simple and honest. I’ve seen the streets of Vrindavan change quite a bit, but the temple stays exactly the same. It is a good life.