This year we had Janmashtami celebration in our Omni Tulsi apartment in Kolkata on 21st August 2022, Sunday. We choose Sunday, so that everyone can participate. Many residents participated in the festival.
Before Covid, we had celebrated Janmashtami here but unfortunately for last 3 years we could not have any festival. But this time many of the residents were eager to celebrate Janmashtami.
Planning
For Janmashtami celebration, we decided to have abhishek of the Lord, spiritual talk and prasadam. Later we also thought to have cultural program in which kids can participate. For all this to happen smoothly, we sought help of HG Anant Bhagavan Prabhu who is a senior monk at Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata. He was happy to help.
Prasadam was arranged from the temple. Prasadam menu was khicdi, aludum and halwa.
Sri Sri Radha Madhav deity for abhishek
For abhishek, we needed a deity of Lord Krishna and Srimati Radharani. I requested in the temple for the deities. HG Vrindavan Chari Prabhu and Shivaji Prabhu helped to arrange a beautiful deity of Sri Sri Radha Madhav.
For last few years I have been doing abhishek seva (service) in the temple, so I know the process of doing abhishek and the items required for abhishek. Moreover, HG Vrindavan Chari Prabhu who is a senior pujari in Iskcon Newtown temple, Kolkata is always there to help me. So, first I discussed with prabhuji about the items which will be required during abhishek.
We wanted to do abhishek the way it is done in the temple. So, we decided to have almost all the items which are used in the temple for abhishek but with lesser quantity. For example, in temple, 8 litres of milk are used but here we decided to have 2 litres of milk. In temple we use 4 kg of honey but here we used only one kg and so on.
Everyone took responsibility for making arrangement for Janmashtami Celebration
One of the best things about the celebration was that everyone wanted to not just participate but many of them were keen to help in making arrangements for the festival. We decided to divide the work amongst ourselves.
Some took the responsibility of purchasing the items, some decided to get flowers for decoration and for abhishek, some took the onus of decorating the hall, my wife along with other ladies made plans for kids fancy dress and cultural program. One person got the service of bringing the deity from the temple and few residents were in charge of bringing prasadam from temple. I got the service of making preparation for abhishek.
The program was in society’s community hall. On the day of Janmashtami celebration, everyone was busy since afternoon. Some were decorating the hall; some were making sure that all the items are brought from the market. Everyone was engaged.
Community hall was beautifully decorated with colourful flowers, balloons, rangolis and lights. At the entrance of the hall rangolis were made with colors and flower petals to welcome the Lord. By evening everything was ready.
Janmashtami Celebration begins
We went to the temple at around 6 pm to bring Sri Sri Radha Madhav and prasadam.
As soon as the deity arrived, everyone started doing kirtan to welcome the Lord. Sri Sri Radha Madhav was placed on a nicely decorated table.
Cultural Prgram
The program began with the ladies dancing to the song of Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram. After this was kids fancy dress program. They were dressed as Krishna, gopis and gopas. Some were too small to stand for a long time, so they just crawled. Two little girls danced on popular Krishna song.
Abhishek of the Lord
After the cultural program, abhishek started.
All the items were ready for the abhishek and were kept in earthen pots in specific sequence. There is a proper procedure of doing abhishek of the Lord as per pancaratrika-vidhi. Different sacred items are used in specific sequence for abhishek. Lord’s abhishek was done as per the temple standard. Before starting abhishek, in each of the items tulasi leaves were put.
Abhishek started with arati of the Lord using nine pista lamps. After arati, sacred oil was applied on the body of Sri Sri Radha Madhav. It was followed by applying white til paste on the deity. After applying til paste bathing of the Lord started with sacred liquids.
Lord was bathed with Panchagavya, Kusa grass water, Panchamitra, Fruit Juices, Mahaushadhi, Sarvaushadhi, Ashtagandha and then there was Sahastradhara snana. After bathing ceremony, the deity was dried and towel was wrapped around Sri Sri Radha Madhav. After that there was puspa abhishek.
For puspa abhishek, everyone came forward to offer flowers to Sri Sri Radha Madhav. Once the abhishek was completed, Sri Sri Radha Madhav was taken for decoration. I had made an arrangement in my flight for HG Vrindavan Chari Prabhu to dress and decorate the Lord. When the Lord was getting ready for arati, HG Anant Bhagavan Prabhu gave a nice class on Janmashtami.
Dilip Ghosh, BJP National Vice President present during the abhishek
During the festival, Sri Dilip Ghosh, Member of Parliament (MP) and BJP’s national vice president was also present. He was earlier president of West Bengal BJP. He stays in our Omni tulsi apartment. Although, he is mostly busy, but he made it a priority to attend the Janmashtami Celebration. He also offered flower to Sri Sri Radha Madhav. To welcome him, we offered him Lord’s garland and gave him Krishna Book and Bhagavad Gita. He also spoke for few minutes and congratulated everyone for organizing such a nice festival. He said that Omni Tulsi has become like a small Gokul today.
Once the Lord was dressed, they came to the hall. HG Anant Bhagavan Prabhu too concluded his class by that time.
Arati & Dancing kirtan
At the end, we had beautiful arati of the Lord. During the arati, melodious Hare Krishna kirtan was going on. Everyone participated in arati and kirtan. One of the highlights of the program was that at the end many participated in dancing kirtan. One person later told me that “the atmosphere was so surcharged with spiritual ecstasy that I could not resist myself and I began dancing to the tune of Hare Krishna Mahamantra.”
At the end there was prasadam.
Praying to Sri Sri Radha Madhav to bless Omni Tulsi
In today’s busy life, people rarely get time to come together and associate with each other. But these kinds of spiritual festivals help us to develop strong relationship with each other. And along with that we also get mercy of the Supreme Lord. Janmashtami celebration at Omni Tulsi had everything which brings joy in life.
We pray at the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Madhav to bless each and every resident of Omni Tulsi. And we also pray him to give us an opportunity to celebrate Janmashtami festival every year here.
