Festivals

Shri Radharaman (Shriji) wears a special new dress. A priest ( pandit) arrives and recites the Vedic Calendar ( panchang) to Shriji, explaining to him how the year will go and the main festival dates. Due to the change in weather, which brings various skin diseases, we offer antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral neem and sugar candy to protect him. Vaishnavs meditate while accepting the blessed food ( prasad), “Life is full of sweet and bitter moments; I, your servant, accept these bitter ( neem) and sweet ( mishri) experiences as your prasad.”

Shriji wears a new dress of yellow colour. At midday, there is a bathing ceremony ( abhishek) of shaligram shila, a form of Lord Shri Ram.

Damnak is patta (leaf) from which we make leaf bowls and plates. It is considered pure and used in offerings throughout the year. A garland made of this leaf is offered to Shriji after Shringar Aarti on Chaitra Shukla Dwadashi. ( Hari Bhakti Vilas)

Vaishakh Shukla Tritiya is known as Akshay Tritiya because any good action you do on this day becomes limitless ( akshay). This makes Akshay Tritiya one of the best days for starting new projects or performing concentrated sadhna.

This day is also known as Chandan Yatra. The hottest part of the year has begun, so on this day, after eating his midday meal ( rajbhog), Shri Radharaman Lal (Shriji) wears a dress made completely out of chandan – cooling sandalwood paste mixed with a special secret blend of camphor and herbs.

During summer in Vrindavan, the heat is so intense at midday that even the flames of the aarti lamp feel uncomfortable. Thus, Radharamanji’s Rajbhog Aarti is offered with flowers instead of lamps from this day until Choti Sharad Purnima (the first day of Kartik). And in the evenings, Radharamanji comes out of his deity room, enchanting devotees with his close-up sandarshan. Throughout this period, Shriji enjoys cooling floral cottages ( phool bangla), hand-crafted from jasmine and other fragrant flowers. And during aulai (late evening sandarshan), he wears minimal clothing embellished with flowers, as well as delicate flower ornaments such as necklaces, armlets and anklets.

The special food offering on Akshay Tritiya is sweets made of sattu – a mixture of barley and other grains ground into a fine powder. Cooling foods ( shital bhog) like cucumber, melon and sprouts are also offered to Shriji on this day and throughout the summer.

Before Sandhya Aarti, abhishek of shaligram shila is performed.

In the morning, a great bathing ceremony ( maha-abhishek) of Shriji is performed, following Shri Roop Goswami’s procedure outlined in his Shri Krishn Abhishek Archana Vidhi. At the end of the bathing ceremony, everyone rejoices His appearance day by greeting Him in the form of singing (recital of pads). Thereafter, the place of Shriji’s appearance is worshipped. He is offered a special meal ( bhog) of sesame seeds and sugar to warm Him up after having bathed in cold milk. Shriji wears a new yellow dress on this special day.

Throughout the entire month, Shriji is offered a variety of cold beverages. In the afternoon, all the shaligram shila sleep in cold water ( jal shyan). To cool Him during the hottest month, curtains of vetiver, a perennial grass, surround His room and water is sprinkled upon them throughout the day. In the evening, Shriji sits in a wooden gazebo, outside the deity room, decorated with various fragrant flowers such as barleria, jasmine and marigold. His clay pot of drinking water is changed twice in the day.

On this day, from the early evening, Shriji wears a new white dhoti (unstitched lower garment) and enjoys a two-hour shower in Yamuna water poured from a sprinkler above Him before His devotees after Utsav Aarti until the Sandhya Aarti Sandarshan ends.

Shriji wears a new red outfit and gives sandarshan in the evening sitting on His chariot.

Sanatan Goswami’s Samadhi darshan at the Shri Radha Madanmohan temple. This is the main day for worship of all gurus (Vyas Puja).

There is a three-day celebration which begins with an adhivas kirtan (congregational singing in preparation for the festival). The following day, Harinaam Sankirtan is held for 24 hours. In the morning, there is worship of Shri Gopal Bhatt Goswami’s Samadhi and prasad distribution, and in the evening, Shriji sits on His golden throne. The third day, a procession sings outside the Shri Radharaman Temple campus ( raas mandal) and there is prasad distribution.

Shriji wears a green dress. From this day until Raksha Bandhan, He gives devotees sandarshan on His swing. On this day, Shriji is offered a special bhog of water chestnut ( singhara). For the duration of Jhulan Utsav, He is offered malpua (pancake made of plain flour, rice flour, and sugar). Pavitra (a garland made of thread) is offered to Shriji by the Goswamis of the Temple on Dwadashi (the day after Ekadashi fast) to ask for forgiveness for any offences that may have been caused in His worship over the past year. The last day of Jhulan Yatra is Raksha Bandhan. On this day, Shriji’s brow is marked with a tilak and a rakhi is tied on His wrist.

There is a morning abhishek of Shriji followed by the same rituals that are observed on His appearance day. He wears a new yellow dress.

Shriji wears a new yellow dress and gives a special sandarshan after Srngaar Aarti. There is prasad distribution to all the Goswami families. After morning aarti, local Brajwasi children come to “steal” the gifts which are thrown to them by the devotees.

In the evening, Shriji retreats into the deity room as it is forbidden to observe the moon on this night. For more information, please refer to the story of the Shyamantak gem.

Abhishek of Shri Radharani takes place in the morning. She is bathed before the devotees but hidden by a veil. Shriji wears yellow clothes, and in the evening, He sits on a special throne with Radharani. There is a special bhog of sesame fudge ( til paak) and lightly toasted, sweetened flour ( panjiri).

An afternoon abhishek of shaligram shila is performed. Later that day, panchamrit is distributed.

Sanjhi is a unique art form wherein coloured powders, gems, flower petals or cow dung are used to create intricate portrayals of scenes from the pastimes ( lilas) of Radha and Krishn, on a canvas of raised earth. Radharaman’s sanjhi festival takes place at the raas mandap. A different sanjhi is made every day for fifteen days. The mood is that Shri Radharani prays to Sanjhi Devi, and artistically manifests Her various lilas with Her Beloved, Shri Krishn, in the form of sanjhi pictures. The next morning, She removes the previous night’s sanjhi and creates a new one. On the last day of the festival, there is a celebration.

Shriji wears red clothes. After Srngaar Aarti, Dushera Puja is performed. In the evening, Shriji sits on the back of a large silver elephant. Shaligram Dev is seated on a small chariot and the Goswamis take Him on parade ( vijay yatra) around the outer altar. Worship of the shami tree (Prosopis cineraria) is performed. From the next day, which is Ekadashi, until the full moon day, Tulsi-Damodar pujan is held every day before the mangla darshan. (A total of five days).

Shriji wears white, and the whole temple is decorated by draped white cloth. There is a special bhog of puffed lotus seed pudding ( makhane ki kheer) and fried flatbread covered in powdered sugar ( chandrakala). Shriji sits on a special golden throne.

Shriji sits on a special silver throne. There is a special bhog of calabash pudding ( ghia ki kheer) and fried flatbread covered in powdered sugar ( chandrakala). From this day until the following summer, the Rajbhog Aarti is performed with ghee wicks, rather than flowers, because autumn has come and the weather is now mild.

On this day, it is beneficial to take darshan of the moon and bathe in Radhakund.

From this day till the end of Kartik, Radharamaniji sits in a little silver house with open sides ( hathri).

Dhanteras is the appearance day of Lord Dhanvantari. In the evening, a chaupar boardgame is placed before Shriji so that He can play with Radharani.

Shriji wears yellow cloth on this day. After His bath the Goswamis touch shirish patra (lebbeck leaves) to His body as an Ayurvedic medicine to protect Him from the changing weather, and they offer ghee lamps to Him. There is also a ghee lamp offering to Yamraj.

Shriji wears a special crown, which is reserved for Deepawali and Raskha Bandhan alone, and tilak is ceremoniously applied on His brow. Abhishek, pujan and aarti of Mahalaxmi is held. Multiple special dishes are offered as bhog to Shriji. In the night-time, every Goswami family comes to receive Shri Radharaman Dev’s blessings in form of prasad.

Shriji comes out on the altar in the morning and is seated on a special throne. There is abhishek of giriraj shila, worship of a cow and a cowherd boy, and puja of Govardhan Hill. A replica of Govardhan Hill is made on the temple floor from fresh cow dung. Many, many special dishes are offered on this day as bhog.

Shriji is dressed in natvar srngaar, which includes a bugle ( shringi), cow-herding stick ( lakut), flute ( murali) and a special crown called jura, similar to the one Shriji wears on Ekadashi. After Srngaar Aarti, puja is offered similar to that which is done on Govardhan Puja. The Goswamis ceremoniously apply tilak on Shriji’s brow and offer gold coins to Him.

Shriji wears a special crown. In the evening, a kunj is created with sugarcane, under which an offering raw fruits and vegetables is made to the gods. Without any bells or gongs, soft prayers are recited to awaken the gods. After awakening them, bells and gongs are used during abhishek and the complete worship of shaligram shila is performed. Then Shaligram Dev is placed on a small chariot and taken on parade ( vijay yatra) around the outer altar. Thereafter, ghee lamps are offered to Shriji and from this day till the end of winter, Shriji uses a blanket at night.

After Srngaar Aarti, special pujan of Damodar Das Goswami is performed at his samadhi, with items which were previously offered to Radharamanji. Mathur Chaturvedi Brahmins come from Mathura to take the prasad, followed by prasad distribution.

From Margashish Shukla Dwadashi to Paush Shukla Dwadashi (ie., for one month) special bhog is offered after morning Dhoop Aartito Radharamanji. This special bhog is the khichadi bhog. Khichadi, or lentil and rice stew, is offered, accompanied by spicy pickles ( achar), savoury fritters ( pakodi), yoghurt ( dahi), nuts and raisins ( meva), jam ( murabba), fresh butter with sugar crystals ( makhan-mishri), sweet lentil balls ( urad ke laddu), toasted sesame seeds ( til), different types of vegetable curries ( sabji) and other varieties of food. The khichadi is made with nuts and ghee because they are heating foods according to Ayurved, and it helps Shriji to stay warm in the cold Vrindavan winter. His lotus feet are protected by socks or a warm blanket, and an ornate coal stove is placed nearby. In the winter, heating spices like saffron ( kesar), and mace ( javitri) are added to His betel-leaf wraps ( paan).

There is a three-day celebration which begins with an adhivas kirtan (congregational singing in preparation for the festival). The following day, Harinaam Sankirtan is held for 24 hours. Then puja of Shri Gopinath Das Goswami is performed at his site of private worship ( bhajan sthali) at the raas mandal in front of the main gate of the Shri Radharaman Temple compound. A biographical song ( suchak kirtan) of Shri Gopinath Goswami is sung. Brahmins from Mathura partake of the prasad feast, followed by the other devotees.

A special puja is performed for Shri Gopal Bhatt Goswami.

Shriji wears a greenish-yellow ( vasanti) coloured dress. From this day until last day of Holi, brightly-coloured powder is offered to Radharamanji after Rajbhog Aarti along with Holi songs accompanied by dhap vadan (a tambourine without bells). In the evening, Radharamanji sits on a golden throne. Special bhog of saffron-accented fudge ( barfi) and clay pot sweets ( kuliya) is offered. From this day, Holi begins in Braj. A special Utsav Aarti takes place in the evening.

During this period, every day Radharaman wears golden yellow ( kesariya) clothes, sits on a silver throne in the evening, and plays Holi with everyone. Special bhog of sweet, fried flatbreads ( pua) is offered to Him. On the full moon day, there is abhishek of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in honour of His appearance.

Shriji dresses in pink and He sits on a swing. Special bhog of jalebi (funnel cakes), pua and other items are offered. Shriji plays Holi on this day while sitting on the swing.

A bonfire is lit, symbolising the destruction of the demoness Holika.