VAISHNAVA FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Shntakram Bhujagshayanam Padmanbham Suresham Vishwdhram Gagansadrisham Meghavarnam Shubhngam | Lakshmikntam Kamalanayanam Y gibhirdhyngamyam Vande Vishnu Bhavabhayaharam Sarval kaikantham || Worship Vishnu, the lord of gods, who, is a symbol of peace and sleeps over bed of snake, whos naval is like lotus. Worship Vishnu, who holds the universe, and is vast like the endless sky, is dark complexioned and is fully auspicious. Worship Vishnu, who emerges with his lotus like eyes into the thoughts of the ascetics when they concentrate, the husband of goddess Lakshmi !s we know by now, that Shiva may be the center of attraction in "ashi, but this city is e#ually shared by Vishnu also. $any myths and religious entities related to Vishnu are an essential part of the socio%religious cultural practices of Varanasi. &n this serial, today we will come to know about the ma'or Vaishnava fairs and festivals observed in Varanasi. We will start as per the (indu calendar year like early lectures. !ma "avami )*+mas ,inth- # .his festival is observed on Chaitra Shukla Navami /0th of the waxing fortnight of Chaitra )mar%apr- and of the (indu new year1. .his festival is dedicated to 2ri *amachandra, one of the divine incarnations of the (indus born on that day. 3eople would bathe at the *am 4hat and worship 2ri *ama in the neighboring temple. "arsingh $haturdashi ),arsinghs fourteenth- # .his festival is observed on Vaishkha Krishna Chaturdashi /56th of waning fortnight in Vaishakha )!pr% $ay1. &t is dedicated to ,risingha 7eva, also one of the divine incarnations of the (indus who had appeared on that day. ! ,risingha Lila is also performed depicting the execution of a demon Hiranyakashyapa by ,risingha. !atha Ytr )the car festival of Lord 8agann+tha- # .his festival is observed on the pattern of famous Ratha Ytr fair of 3uri, 9rissa. We already know that 3uri is one of the four abodes mentioned in (indu religion. .he festival begins on

shdha Shukla Dwitiy /:nd of waxing fortnight of !shadha )8un%8ul-1 and finali;es three days after it. .his festival is connected with the Jaganntha .emple situated at !si 4hat. ! huge procession can be seen on the final day. .he place where the festival is observed is named after it as *athayatra. .he idol of lord Jaganntha is placed upon a chariot with a good number of wheels at !si. <rom there the chariot is led to =enirams )an extravagant of Varanasi- garden for three successive days. &t is also one the famous Lakha attendances of the devotees prove it. Shri Krishna %anmshtami )"rishnas births eighth- # We have already discussed upon this festival in the lecture >! ?ear in Varanasi. .his festival is celebrated as the birth of Lord Krishna and is observed on "hdrapada Krishna #shtami /@th of waning fortnight in =hadrapada )!ug%2ep-1. &t is widely observed in temples, homes and even in police stations as Krishna was born when his parents were in imprisonment. Vmana &wdashi )7warfs .welfth- # .his festival is dedicated to Vmana, another incarnation of Vishnu$ 7evotees bathe at the confluence %ang& Varun and worship the deity of V+mana K!shava )7warf "eshava-. &t is observed on "hdrapada Shukla Dwdashi /5:th of waxing fortnight of =hadrapada )!ug% 2ep-1. 'nanta $haturdashi )eternal fourteenth- # .his festival is observed on "hdrapada Shukla Chaturdashi, 'ust two days after the Vmana Dwdashi$ ! fair is held in *amanagar and the *amlila is started on this very day. Vijay &ashami r &ashahera )Victorious .enth- A .his festival is e#ually devoted to lord Rma and goddess Durg$ &t is observed on shwina Shukla Dashami /tenth of waxing fortnight of !shwina )2ep%9ct-1 'ust after the finali;ation of Shradiya Navartra$ (ulsi Vivha )$arriage of .ulsi Bbasil treeC with Vishnu- # .his festival is observed on Krtika Krishna Dwdashi )5:th of waning fortnight in "artika )9ct% ,ov-. &t is extremely revered by the Vaishnavas$ !la of Varanasi. .housands of

(ere it must be mentioned that the whole month of Krtika is dedicated and especially reserved for Vishnu$ &iwli r &ee)wali # .his festival is observed on Krtika #mvasy )the no moon day of "artika month-. .his is celebrated as a reminiscent of Rama's return to #y(dhya bringing back his wife Sita, after successfully executing Ravana. Lamps, candles, electric lights are lit and houses, shops as well as temples are decorated. Krtika P rnim # .his festival is observed on full moon day of Kartika$ 3eople prefer bathing at the 3anchganga ghat at the sacred confluence of five streams vi;. %anga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Dh((tpapa and Kiran. .he world famous D!va D!!pawali is observed on this day, which will be discussed in upcoming lectures. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% !e*eren+es, Medhasananda Swami- Varanasi, 't $r ss ! ads. Varanasi. /001. 20134516