Dear Friends of Vaishnavas CARE,
It is with deep sadness that I inform you that my friend and godsister, Caitanya Dasi, a dear disciple of Srila Prabhupada, passed away from this world yesterday, February 11, 2019. The doctors had just discovered a brain tumor so Caitanya Dasi was in a hospital near her home of Alachua, Florida. When she passed away she had her twin daughters, Draupadi and Gandhari at her bedside along with six godsisters. Here is what they posted:
“Caitanya Dasi studied vocals with AliAkbar Khan at his music college in 1979. She also studied north Indian vocals under Laksmi Shankar in 1980, in Los Angeles, California. Caitanya Dasi regularly performed with Shankar, while playing the tampura to the singing of Shankar’s own compositions of Mirabai’s poems. In the early seventies Caitanya Dasi was formally initiated into the practice of bhakti yoga, under the guidance of her teacher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. She lived out her final years in Northern Florida, near the New Raman Reti Community where she spent time with her four children and five grandchildren, always singing her heart out in the spirit of Mirabai. She left us on February 10, 2019.”
Please watch the video below as Caitanya Devi Dasi tells her memories of Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to Caitanya Dasi
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
a
I may be a little behind in this but I would
like to say something. I was told about
Caitanya’s passing by a friend of hers.
They had reconnected after so many years,
how wonderful is that.
When she told me my heart hurt so bad.
I don’t quite understand and then maybe I
Do. It’s been a week now and I still am
having problems with this, you see my
name is Terry Warriner and I had the
opportunity of hanging out with her during
one summer for a bit. Probably our
freshman year of high school. We played
Some folk songs together and my gosh
she could sing. That is when I totally
became smitten with her. She seemed
so independent and beautiful at that
young age I think I was intimidated.
Lives change at these ages. I was a surfer
in those days, which lasted 45 years.
I had noticed Caitanya was on the drill
Team. Life goes on and I was at a
restaurant years later after I came
back from the military and she was
Working there, Later 1969. She was
getting off and wanted me to hang
around. We drove around and talked
that night for quite some time. Apparently
after this I headed to the beach area
where I still am, and her life took her
North Central Coast however. Life
happens and I would think of her
Now and then. One day I just had to
contact her. I got her # from her
Mother who wanted me to talk her
out of what she was doing. Of course
I wouldn’t but I called her and we
spoke for a while. In fact she tried
to recruit me. Lol so happy we got
to talk. Many years later the same
darn thing happened I just had to
Speak to her again. We talked
again for awhile and that became
the last time we spoke. When I
heard she passed I became pretty
Depressed and Sad, It’s been this
way for a week now. Involuntarily!
I watched the videos of her lamenting
on her experiences’ and we all change
physically with age her voice was
just as I remembered. She was so
Happy with her life and into it!
Great Choice Caitanya, I am still
Smitten apparently. Awesome picture
Of her and her son 1990.
Terry Warriner
Dear Terry,
I am sorry for the loss of your friend. Thank you so much for sharing with us your memories of Caitanya from so long ago. We, at Vaishnavas CARE, really appreciate you taking the time to write in this very special comment. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sangita Dasi
President, Co-Founder
Vaishnavas CARE