Post-Covid-19, Radha's birthday celebrated with fervour in Braj temples

Brij Khandelwal

Mathura/Vrindavan, Sep 4 (IANS) After almost three years of the Covid-19 pandemic, festivals in Sri Krishna land (Braj Mandal) are drawing lakhs of devotees to shrines related with the Sri Krishna, Radha lore.

On Janamashtmi, lakhs of pilgrims visited the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura, and the famous Sri Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan, which unfortunately saw a stampede that killed two pilgrims.

The birthday of Radha Rani, celebrated as Radhastami has attracted lakhs of pilgrims to Barsana and the holy shrine at Rawal, village of Radha. After the mishap at Vrindavan, police made elaborate security and crowd management arrangements at Barsana. Several screens were installed at vantage points for live telecast of the rituals from the temple, atop the holy hill.

The hot and sultry weather could not dent the fervour, even as clouds played hide-and-seek. The pilgrims from early morning made a beeline to the beautiful Ladli Ji Mandir atop the picturesque hill in Barsana. Just like Krishna Janmashtami, Radha Ashtami is also celebrated in a big way in Braj and Barsana.

This day is celebrated as a festival in the temples of Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Rawal and Maant. Normally the narrow lanes and bylanes of Vrindavan reverberate with chants of 'Radhey Radhey' all the time, as pilgrims from all parts of the country visit the temple town round the year.

"Anywhere you go in Vrindavan or in Goverdhan when things are normal, you will only hear the chants of 'Radhey Radhey'. For the Bengali widows or other residents of Vrindavan, their favourite salutation is 'Radhey Radhey'."

A panda in Barsana said, "Early in the morning in 'bhram muhurta', 'mool nakshtra', the deity was given a bath with a mix of milk, curd, and honey." Turmeric and curd are collected in the temples and the mixture is thrown on people of the Goswami community. "Radha Ashtami is celebrated on Ashtami of Shukla Paksha in the Bhadrapad month."

A local pandit explained, "She was born to Vrishbhanu Gop and his wife Kirti. According to Padma Purana, Lord Vishnu asked his family members to go to earth as incarnations before his birth as Krishna. Therefore, goddess Laxmi, Lord Vishnu's wife, incarnated as Radhaji.

According to the Vedas and Puranas, Radhaji is also known as Krishna Vallabh. "Lord Krishna was very fond of Radhaji. People listening to Radha Janmashtami story are freed of all kinds of worldly problems. (Radha Radha japat hi sab baadha kat jaye). It is believed that Krishna's worship is incomplete without Radhaji's worship. Radhaji is believed to be the controller of Krishna's life," Goswami Nandan Shrotriya of Sri Mathuradheesh temple in Agra said.