Joyous Holi celebrations 2012 at Shri Hari Mandir

This year, the festival of Holi was celebrated with great fanfare at Shri Hari Mandir in the inspiring presence of Pujya Bhaishri. The trustees of Sandipani and other devotees enthusiastically joined in these two day celebrations.

Prior to the evening aarati, Pujya Bhaishri began the celebrations by sprinkling various colours on the deities of the temple amidst the harmonic beats and sounds of drums, jhalars and other instruments. The temple was packed with devotees joining in these joyous celebrations. This was followed by the daily aarati and stuti.

After the Aarati, all devotees proceeded to the grounds of the temple where the kindling of Holi was performed with the appropriate rituals. The devotees went round the Holika and offered coconuts. The rishikumars of Sandipani were joined by the people of Porbandar town. Pujya Bhaishri distributed prasad containing dates, popcorn, split grams and patasas(solidified sugar pieces).

The next morning, celebrations of Dhuli vandana began with the singing of Shri Hari’s rasiyagayans (devotional songs) by a special team of trained singers from Junagadh. Apart from propitiating the deities of the temple the singers also mesmerised the audience with their soulful singing. Thereafter, Pujya Bhaishri once again sprinkled colours upon the deities to celebrate the occasion of Dhuleti. The people present also participated and enjoyed the phooldol celebrations (rocking of deities on a floral swing).

Next, the people present proceeded to the gardens of Sandipani where elaborate arrangements had been made for all to play Holi with coloured water and powders of various hues. The sprinkling of colours was accompanied with an exciting atmosphere of the singing of rasiyagayans and chanting of Radha Madhav sankirtan.