Chaitanya das
- Brahmotsava is locally known as Rath -ka-Mela is the biggest festival of any temple in Vrindavan
Vrindavan, UP: The Sri Ranganatha Temple, a famous Divyadesh of the Sri Ramanuja Sampradaya, is all set to host the ten-day Brahmotsavam festival starting from March 10. The festival will be celebrated as per Vedic tradition and will feature various religious and cultural rituals. The temple management has made elaborate arrangements for this auspicious occasion.
The Sri Ranganatha Temple, built-in 1851 in the South Indian architectural style, is home to Lord Ranganath, Shri Tirupati Balaji, Lord Narasimha, and Lord Sudarshan. Although the temple hosts a series of Mangal Utsavs every day, the Brahmotsavam festival is particularly important, with its roots dating back to Vedic times.
The festival will commence with the planting of seedlings, invocation of the gods, and flag hoisting, accompanied by chanting of Veda mantras. According to Vijay Mishra, the temple’s priest, Lord Thakur Ranganath will sit in a gold-built Purna Kothi on the first day of the festival, March 10, early in the morning, and bless the devotees.
Throughout the festival, Lord Thakur Godarangmannar gives darshan every day sitting on the golden and silver vehicles Suryaprabha, Chandraprabha, Garud ji, Hanuman ji, Palki, Singh, Ashwa, and Singhshardul. The highlight of the festival is the giant sandalwood chariot fair, which attracts a large number of devotees due to its unique art style.
Swami Shri Raghunath ji from the temple informed that on the Navami Tithi of dark half of the month of Chaitra, Lord Thakur ji sits in a 50-feet high chariot with his family and blesses the devotees. The chariot ride is preceded by Holi celebrations, during which Thakur ji showers blessings on the devotees by riding on a glass plane.
On the next day of the chariot fair, the Lord rides on a horse made of gold, accompanied by grand fireworks at Bada Bagicha. The Bheel Lutan Leela will be held upon the Lord’s return to the temple.
