By Madhu Pandit Das
August 17, 2011, Bangalore, India — On the auspicious day of Pavitra Ekadashi of the Shravana masa (monsoon), the grand and colourful festival of Jhulan Utsava began at the ISKCON Sri Radha Krishna-chandra Mandir, Bangalore.
For Their pleasure, the Lordships are adorned in brilliance and seated on a jhulan (swing) decorated magnificently with a variety of beautiful flowers. The festival, commemorating the pastimes of Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani on a swing, is celebrated to reflect the manner in which devotional service should be rendered to Their Lordships. Hundreds of devotees thronged the main temple hall, which was decked up gloriously for the festival.
The five-day Jhulan Utsava celebrations began with a special arati offered to Their Lordships, while the sweetness of kirtans sung by devotees filled the atmosphere with devotional spirit. Afterwards, the sevakartas received an opportunity to sway the swing and offer their devotional service. They offered flowers and obeisance to Their Lordships. The celebrations concluded with the Deities being taken in a pallaki (palanquin) around the temple hall for the shayana seva.
The Jhulan Utsava is one of the most popular events in the holy town of Vrindavan, where Lord Krishna appeared perhaps five thousand years ago. Among the local villagers and inhabitants, the festival lasts for 13 days, and hundreds of thousands of people from surrounding towns and villages visit Vrindavan to participate in the celebrations.
Speak Your Mind