Radha Govinda Jhulana Yatra
One of the most popular events in the holy town of Vrindavan, India - where Lord
Krishna appeared 5,000 years ago - is the celebration of Jhulan Yatra, the Radha-Krishna
swing festival. In Vrindavan among the local villagers and inhabitants this
festival lasts for 13 days. In Vrindavan this is one of the biggest festivals of
the year and Vrindavana is very crowded at this time, literally hundreds of
thousands of people from surrounding towns and villages visit Vrindavan over
this period in the auspicious sacred month of Shravana (July-Aug). Opulence or
simplicity, but often the swings are made of gold or silver.
In Sri Vrindavan for five days, in many of the 5000 temples there, the small
Utsav-vighraha functional Deities (Vijay-utsav bera) are taken from the altar
and placed on an elaborately decorated swing in the temple room. After receiving
the traditional arati worship, the Deities are pushed on Their swing. Members of
the congregation are invited to participate. Each person offers flower petals
and personal prayers, and then pushes the swing several times as the other
members chant Hare Krishna, Jaya Radhe Jaya Krishna jaya Vrindavan, or Jaya
Radhe, Jaya Jaya Madhava dayite in kirtan. The atmosphere of this festival is
especially sweet as everyone has the chance to intimately serve Radha and
Krishna.
The same festival is observed in other parts of India too in this sacred month
of Shravana. For example in Jagannath Puri, for the pleasure of Lord Jagannath's
utsav vighraha (Madan-mohan ji, this festival is celebrated from Shravana Shukla
Dashami (10th Tithi/phase of the Moon of the light fortnight) until Pratipada
(1st tithi of the dark), a period of seven days. Sri Madanmohan, Jagannath's
representative deity (vijay utsav), as well as Laxmi and Vishwadhatri are placed
on a decorative wooden swing on Muktimandap (Jhulanmandap). There, worshippers
have a chance to swing the Lord, thus entering into His pastimes. On the day of
the full moon (Gamha Purnima or Jhulan Purnima), Lord Balabhadra's appearance
day is celebrated.
In Vrindavan it starts on the Tritya (third day) of the bright fortnight of
Shravana and lasts until the full moon night of the month. During this festival
the Radha-Krishna Deities in the temples are swung on a swing. Some of the main
temples that this festival is celebrated at are the Banke Bihari Temple and the
Radha-Raman Temple in Vrindavana, the Dwarkadish temple in Mathura, and the
Larily Lal Temple in Varsana.
In our Iskcon temples we observe for five days in accordance with Srila
Prabhupada's instructions. So whether one observes for the four days or for the
seven, or thirteen days, the same festival is put on for the pleasure of the
Lord and His loving associates.
This is a wonderful ceremonial function of Lord Krishna's pastimes that reflects
practically how we are to render service to the Lord for His pleasure.
At the time of the Jhulan Yatra festival it is Monsoon in India and the air is
thick, heavy and humid with the heat and the rains. In the midst of the rainy
season, when fields and jungle have turned shades of lush green and flowers are
blossoming all around, the festival of Hariyali Teej is celebrated.
These festivals are not in any way mere rituals, as they all have practical
service functionality to invoke loving servitude of the devotees for the Lord.
Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme enjoyer and doesn't have to work hard like us in
this world. Everything He does is pleasurable, and He organises many situation
in which He can incorporate us, His separated parts and parcels into His loving
service which is our natural condition in the spiritual realm.
When Sri Krishna had his pastimes in rural Vrindavan with His cowherd friends
together they lovingly tended the cows, and wandered in the pastures playing,
frolicking, and feasting. Throughout the various seasons they all continuously
enjoyed being part of Sri Krishna's pastimes, and rendering loving service to
Him as best they could.
Over the past few months as the climate had changed from Vasant Panchami (Spring
festival) where everyone dresses in yellow and goes to the fields, performs
fertility rites, and plants new crops, etc.) to Dola Purnima where scented
powders and flowers are thrown on the body of the Lord playfully, and singing
and dancing goes on for His pleasure. Similarly all the other different
festivals were observed where the friends of Lord Krishna would look after His
express comforts or pleasure, go to the forest with Him, serve Him and have fun.
As the temperature rises toward Summer the Chandan Yatra is performed where from
the Akshaya Tritiya for a period of 21 days the body of the Lord is anointed
with scented sandalwood mixed with camphor, musk, saffron. As the sandalwood is
applied to the body it immediately cools, but then there is a natural cycle that
also follows with the heat naturally there is some perspiration, and as the
perspiration again mixes with the sandalwood it is dried and cooled by even the
slightest breeze creating a pleasant feeling like being covered with Talcum
powder.
However, as the temperature increases just to be anointed with something cooling
is not enough therefore on (or from for some sampradayas or temples) the Snan
Purnima in the month of Jyestha (Trivikram Vaishnava mase) there is the
ceremonial bathing of the Lord called Snan Yatra. Although it has become
especially festive in Jagannath Puri the actual event originates in Vrindavana
with the devotees bathing Krishna, and Balaram for their pleasure and then
taking bath themselves too. Actually at this time there is no other solace than
to bathe in some kind of pleasing water. All the temples of Vrindavan follow
this festival, and many devotees follow a trail of pilgrimage from one temple to
the next from early morning to late evening when the temperature lowers to about
35-40 degrees centigrade absorbed in the Snan rasa.
The next major interactive event is Rathyatra where the devotees symbolically
bring Lord Krishna (Jagannath) His brother Balaram and Subhadra maharani on high
chariots, with beautiful flapping canopies, back to rural Vrindavan after their
spell in Kurukshetra.
After this comes the Jhulan Yatra festival. Starting on the ekadasi of waxing
moon of Sridhara month, many temples in Vrndavana celebrate Krsna's swing
festival, some for one day, others for more days. Traditionally many of the
Deities of the Lord wears various clothing with green in it over this period
until the Balaram Purnima. Again it is a practical festive service that the
devotees provide for the Lord. Monsoon is so humid, and the temperature is still
so hot despite the cooling rains. With so much water coming from the sky, on the
ground, and just about everywhere the last thing that anyone wants is more water
to cool off. The opulence at this time is to find a breeze, as the air is heavy
with the humidity of the rains. So the devotees arrange for the pleasure and
satisfaction of Krishna, Balaram, and Srimati Radhika by placing them on a swing
(Jhulan) and creating their own breeze from the motion.
It is a most pleasing and satisfying festival, with the swings often highly
decorated with forest creepers, Jasmine (Malati) that has newly blossomed in the
season, and streamers of garlands. Sometimes they use a fine spray of rose water
and direct it toward the Divine couple of Radha and Krishna on Their swing.
Today in Iskcon temples all over the world by the mercy of his Divine Grace
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad all the devotees and the congregational
members get the opportunity to come forward after purifying their hands and
remember these loving interactions of Sri Krishna with His devotees, and also
assist in the direct personal service of the Lord by applying themselves to
pushing the swing.
On the last day of the Jhulan, on the Purnima (full moon) this comes Lord
Balaram's appearance day festival.
Jhulan references:
"Regarding Jhulanayatra Ceremony, during these five days the Deities' clothing
should be changed everyday, and there should be nice Prasadam distribution and
Sankirtana as far as possible. If you are able to do it, a nice throne may be
constructed on which the Deities can be placed. This throne may be swung gently
during Kirtana. That will be very good, and surely the Deities will enjoy the
function." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.1st August. 1969. Letter to
Jayapataka Swami. Letters book pg. 977.)
"So we have to practice this Krsna consciousness. Here, in this material world,
we have to work. Without work, you cannot maintain even your family, your body.
That is not possible. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmana-. Krsna says
(to) Arjuna that without karma you cannot maintain even your body. So you have
to work. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmana-. And this material world
means you have to maintain by working. And spiritual world means na tasya karyam
karanam ca vidyate. There is nothing to work, as Krsna has nothing to work. He
is simply enjoying What is called? Swing. So Krsna is enjoying, and Krsna's
associates are enjoying. They have nothing to work. That is spiritual world.
Cintamani prakara sadmasu kalpa vrksa: that is a different world. There is no
material body. Therefore there is no need of the material body. That is a
different world. But in this material world we have to work. Trt'ya-karma-samj<anya
avidya-karma-samjanya trtiya aktir isyate. This material world means you have to
work and adjust things for your maintenance. That you cannot escape. But still,
we have to become Krsna conscious" (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 10th
August 1976. Srimad Bhagavatam 3:22:21. Tehran, Iran.)
"Radha and Krsna may be swung in this way, but you may avoid swinging Lord
Jagannatha like that."(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 5th Jan. 1973.
Letter to Jagdish. Letters book p.2220.)
A pastime of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna's:
As stated Jhulan-yatra is very dear to Krsna, He likes it very much, now from
another perspective you will see why !!!. From a cultural perspective in India
during this period, all daughters go to their father's house to stay there for
some days and enjoy the swing festival - a custom celebrated even up to this
day.
Every year Srimati Radharani used to go to Varshana to her parents' house and
have a very nice time there with her Gopi friends and Krsna, whom She could
freely meet (because Jotila and Kotila were not around).
'One time Radharani was waiting for her brother Sridam to come and take her to
her fathers' house. She was waiting, waiting, and waiting, but there was no sign
of Sridam and She became so sad. One day a person from Varsana was there. She
asked the man to ask her father, "Why have they have forgotten Me?" She then
started to cry bitterly. The person went to Varshana and told Vrsabhanu Maharaja
about the condition of his daughter. Hearing this news, Vrishabhanu Maharaja
immediately sent Sridam to Varshana to get Radharani.
Srimati Radharani's Mother Kirtida packed many presents for Jotila to send with
Sridam, knowing that if she did not do this, Jotila, being harsh of character
sometimes would not send Srimati Radharani to Varshana.
Meanwhile, day and night Srimati Radharani was staring at the road coming from
Varshana. One day, She saw Sridam and when he finally arrived at the front gate
they embraced each other. She was weeping, "Oh brother you had forgotten Me?; My
father and mother too?; Everyone forgot Me?"
At first Jotila refused to let Srimati Radharani go. "No no, She cannot go. She
has so much work to do here, and there is so much danger there because of that
black boy. She cannot go."
Then Sridam gave Jotila all the presents given by Kirtida ma. Seeing this, she
said, "Alright, she can go, but only for a few days."
"Then Srimati Radharani and Sridam went on a cart pulled by four bullocks to
Varshana. Seeing the palace of her parents on the hilltop, feeling great
happiness Radharani started weeping and even more weeping when She saw Her
father and mother face to face.
At that time Jhulan-yatra had already started and Srimati Radharani started
swinging with Her sakhis (friends) during periods in the day and night, but She
was not satisfied alone, without Krsna there. Knowing this, Krsna sometimes came
in disguise to the palace. Sometimes He dressed as a Gopi selling bangles or
beautiful garlands. Or He appeared in any other form and made an appointment for
Them to meet each other somewhere in a very secret place in the forest.
Once, Srimati Radharani was seated on the Jhulan and Krsna was pushing the swing
very gently. Suddenly Krsna put so much force in pushing the swing that Srimati
Radharani became fearful and started crying out, "O Krsna, save Me, save Me!"
That transcendental trickster Sri Krsna climbed on the swing and She firmly
embraced Him, giving Him so much pleasure. Why so much pleasure? Because
normally He has to do so many tricks so that Radharani will embrace Him, but in
this instance She embraced Him out of Her own will, without much effort on His
part. Therefore He is so fond of these swing pastimes.
Some meditations on Sri Jhulan Yatra in Sri Vrindavan Dham.
The Jhulan time is very intense. In general the Shravana masha have an
exceptional mood, it is raining all the time, Yamuna Mayi became very wide,
flooded and there is a fresh atmosphere for devotees who move daily to whorship
and take the lila-darshan which is performed in diverse temples in Vrindavan. As
an example, in Jai Sing Geera, the lilas are performed during the whole week:
every morning Gauranga-lila and at the evening Krishna-lila's theatre is played.
Devotees tell that some time ago a king, who was a great devotee of Sri Radha-Raman
used to came to Vrindavan in the Shravana month to assist that performances
which started out of his own desire. The rasa-lilas and theatre performance of
Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Sri Krishna lilas was very dear to him and surely to
Sri Radha Krishna also because since that time it now takes place as a yearly
event.
In each of Vrindavans' temples a wonderful swing-kunja is to be found, each with
singular features along with the swinging mood and the always happy "Jay Sri
Radhe! Jay Sri Radhe!". There took place also the golden swing darshan of Sri
Banka Bihari ji, which occurs once yearly. It happen the first day of Jhulan in
which streets are completely crowded, any vehicles, like cars, even
Auto-rickshaws transit is very much restricted and Rikshaws can move only in the
main roads. Some devotees wait until the midnight special aratis to get darshan
because during the day it's just ridiculous to try and get in with the hundreds
of thousands of villages who descend on Vrindavan township to be absorbed in
this wonderful festival.
There's a good business made by devotees engaged in making the huge amounts of
garlands that are used in all the temples, by all the devotees wanting to offer
garlands, and to decorate the temples and Jhulan(s) during the whole week. It's
a perfect example how everyone benefits, both economically - financially,
socially, spiritually etc., simply by rendering some simple service for the
pleasure of the Lord. Vast amounts of prasadam is cooked and offered to the
Deities, and sold for a small donation; the hotles, dharmshallas, guest-houses
etc, Rickshaws, taxis, everyone, all are happy and satisfied knowing that simply
by serving the Lord, the root of everything all their needs will be taken care
of.
Note:: Special thanks to Jaya Tirtha Caran prabhu from NZ for allowing us to use some of the content from his site to compile these pages - http://www.hknet.org.nz
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