MATHURA, Aug 29: The City of Lord Krishna is getting ready for the grand Radha Asthmi celebration on 30 and 31 August. More than 15 lakhs are expected to seek darshans at the Sri Radha Rani temple in Barsana , the temple receiver said
The celebrations will start in the evening of 30 August when Goswami community people from Nandgaon and Barsana sing Badhai gaan in the temple, Susheel Goswami, receiver of the Sri Radha Rani temple Barsana, said. After the temple closes at night, Bhajan and Badhaai Gaan are performed at different places in Barsana for the whole night by devotees and saints, he added.
Mahaabhishek will be performed on 31 august at 4 am (Brahm Muhurat) with two quintal cow milk, 11kg ghee, curd, powdered sugar, honey, medicinal herbs and kesar amid chanting of Vedic hymns and Radhey Radhey, Susheel Goswami said
Mool shanti rituals are performed before Mahaabhishek, as it is believed that Radha Rani was born in Mool nakshetra. Water from 27 wells, 27 leaves, 27 teerth raj(soil from holy places) is used for the ritual, he added.
"The deity will be adorned with a rare yellow colour dress along with jewellery," he said.
Goswami said that Goswami community sevayats will celebrate Vrishbhanotsav after Mahaabhishek at the temple. " During the celebrations, toys, clothes and money were flung from the sanctum sanctorum for the devotees to collect as 'prasad', a tradition commemorating Vrishbhan ji's delight at Radha Rani's birth," Chappal Bhog will be offered to Radharani in the evening, he added
In the evening, Dola of Radha Rani is taken down by Goswami community sevayats amid the beat of drum, flute, clarinet to chatri, a tradition observed only three times in a year, Brijesh Goswami sewayat Sri Radha Rani temple, Barsana said. "It is believed that the ritual was observed to enable even those who are otherwise not allowed inside the temple to have blessings of Radha Rani in the evening," Goswami said. But today it helps more devotees to have the blessings of the deity due to space constraints at temples, he added.
After 2 hours, she is taken back to the sanctum sanatorium and Arta, a special Arti, is performed by the Girl Child of Sevayat's family, Brijesh Goswami said.
The main deity's idol appeared to Swami Narayan Bhatt some 550 years ago at Bramhanchal hillock, Brajesh Goswami Sewayat Radha Rani temple, Barsana, said. |
