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Ustavs (Festivals)

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Various Utsavs (festivals) are celebrated every year at Shri Hari Mandir including:

The Rishikumars at Sandipani all take part with the teachers and devotees, manage and enjoy these celebrations. In addition to these, the Rishikumars, Gurukul students and teachers also celebrate festivals such as Makar Sankranti, Republic Day, Mahashivratri, Shri Ram Navmi, Independence day, Tulsi Vivah, Shravan Month and several others at Shri Hari Mandir throughout the year. Pujya Bhaishri also attends and joins the celebrations for many of these.

Celebrations for each is unique and divine. Brief descriptions of some of the celebrations are provided below.

Pujya Bhaishri spreading colours on Shri Janki Vallabh Bhagavan

Holi

The spring festival of Holi is a joyous occasion at Sandipani celebrated over two days usually in March.  Colours and flowers are spread on the various deities at Shri Hari Mandir by Pujya Bhaishri. Then everyone plays Holi in the temple complex courtyard.

After everyone has been liberally covered and finished playing with colours, saying farewell to winter and celebrating the returning colours of spring, people take the time to clean up and visit friends and family. There is Rājbhog Aarati at Shri Hari Mandir and singing of God’s name.

After Aarati, all devotees worship the Holi pyre in the north-east corner of the temple complex to signify the defeat of evil and the victory of good. Pujya Bhaishri then distributes prasad to all present.

Pujya Bhaishri and devotees playing Holi with colours

Worshipping of the Holi pyre by Pujya Bhaishri and devotees

On one of the days, the host family hoists the sacred flag and worship of Shri Satya Narayan Bhagavan is performed with a Satya Narayan Katha.

Read the Holi celebrations over the years.

Janmashtami

Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, is celebrated with great joy by our Rishikumars and devotees in the presence of Pujya Bhaishri over two days at Sandipani, usually in August. The festival always falls on Ashtami of the Hindu calendar during Shravan month, which is the eighth day of Krishna Paksha or the waning moon.

On the morning of Janmashtami, there is Abhishek (bathing) of Lord Krishna with milk amidst holy chants of mantras by the Rishikumars. In the evening after Aarati, Lord Krishna’s name is sung with great devotion by all after which Pujya Bhaishri with the Rishikumars recite five chapters from the tenth canto of the Shrimad Bhagavat which describe the manifestation of Lord Krishna.

Midnight celebrations of Janmashtami at Shri Hari Mandir

Morning celebrations of Janmashtami at Shri Hari Mandir

Exactly at midnight, the birth time of Lord Krishna, he is bathed with panchāmrit (a mixture of milk, yogurt, refined butter, honey and jaggery) along with ecstatic chants of Nand gher ānand bhayo, Jai Kanhaiyā lāl ki.

On the following morning, the celebrations continue with Pujya Bhaishri, Rishikumars and devotees rocking the cradle of baby Krishna amidst singing of God’s name. A mixture of butter and sugar is offered to the baby Krishna, Aarati is performed and the celebrations end with distribution of Prasad to all.

Read the Janmashtami celebrations over the years.

Diwali

Diwali or Deepavali celebrations at Sandipani are indeed divine and beautiful, usually celebrated in October or November. On the first day (known as Dhantaryodashi) Goddess Laxmi is worshiped in the Laxminarayan temple at Shri Hari Mandir. On the second day (Roop Chaudash), worship of Lord Bhairav Nath is performed.

Worship with 1000 lotuses of Maa Laxmi on Dhantaryodashi

Distribution of clothes and sweets to children on Deepavali

On Deepavali day the entire Shri Hari Mandir is beautifully decorated with lamps and garlands. All the deities are adorned with beautiful clothes and ornaments. In addition, clothes and sweets are distributed to the less fortunate children invited from a nearby village by Pujya Bhaishri, the host family and the Rishikumars. This is followed by meals for all including the children who have been invited.

After the evening Aarati, Pujya Bhaishri, Rishikumars and devotees celebrate Diwali with Shri Hari with sparklers inside Shri Hari Mandir. This is followed by dinner and fireworks on the grounds of Sandipani.

Diwali celebrations inside Shri Hari Mandir

Annakut Utsav on Hindu New Year’s day

On New Year’s day, a divine Annakut (a variety of foods) is offered to the deities in Shri Hari Mandir. The divine flag hoisting ceremony is also performed for all the temples.

Read about the Deepavali celebrations over the years.

Read more on Patotsav, Navratri Anushthan and Guru Purnima also which are celebrated at a grand scale at Shri Hari Mandir and Sandipani.

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