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Mahashivratri Shivaratri is
celebrated on the 6th night of the dark Phalgun
(Feb or March) every year. On the auspicious
day, devotees observe fast and keep vigil all
night. Mahashivaratri marks the night when Lord
Shiva performed the 'Tandava'. It is also
believed that on this day Lord Shiva was married
to Parvati Ma. On this day Shiva devotees
observe fast and offer fruits, flowers and bel
leaves on Shiva Linga. At our temple this
festival celebrated with great spritualism.
Rangbhari ( Aamlaki) Ekadashi
Once, in the month of Phalguna (February -
March), the holy fast of Amalakii Ekadasii
arrived, conjoined with Dvadasi. This particular
fast would bestow especially great benefit.
Amalakii is offspring of Lord BrahmA, who can
destroy all kinds of sinful reactions. Amalakii,
is actually the form of Brahman, and was once
worshiped by Lord Ramachandra Himself. Whoever
circumambulates her is therefore immediately
freed of all his sins. After having bath
offered Amalakii tree a pot filled with water,
as well as garland and aromatic incense. Then
worship Lord Parashurama with these prayers: 'Oh
Lord ParashurAma, Oh son of Renuka, Oh
all-pleasing one, Oh liberator of the worlds,
kindly come beneath this holy Amalakii tree and
accept our humble obeisances.' If the
Amarlaki tree isn't available then worship the
sacred Tulasi tree. Also plant the sacred Tulasi
seeds, and offer lamps to her.
Annakoot Annakoot is celebrated in
observance of the episode in Sri Krishna's
childhood, in which He gave protection to the
cowherd clan of Vrindavan from the wrath of
Indra and humbled Indra in that process. The
cowherds, their wives, children and cattle
jubilantly surrounded Sri Krishna. They were
awed by His superhuman accomplishment and
celebrated Sri Krishna's feat with a sumptuous
feast. Thus began the tradition of Annakoot.
After the prayers, traditional worship & Aarti,
innumerable varieties of delicious sweets/ all
cookings / 56 bhogs were ceremoniously raised in
the form of a mountain before the deity as "Bhog"
and after Lord had it full , now it was citizens
turn to approach the Mountain of Food and take
Prasad from it. It was a Great Feast for
residents of Goverdhan & they all enjoyed it
thoroughly
Makar Shakranti
Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious
day for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost
all parts of the country in myriad cultural
forms, with great devotion, fervor & gaiety.
Lakhs of people take a dip in places like Ganga
Sagar & Prayag and pray to Lord Sun. It is
celebrated with pomp in southern parts of the
country as Pongal, and in Punjab is celebrated
as Lohri & Maghi. Gujarati's not only look
reverentially up to the sun, but also offer
thousands of their colorful oblations in the
form of beautiful kites all over the skyline.
They may be trying to reach upto their glorious
God or bring about greater proximity with the
one who represents the best. It is a day for
which Bhishma Pitamah kept waiting to leave his
mortal coil. Makar Sankranti is the day when
the glorious Sun-God of Hindus begins its
ascendancy and entry into the Northern
Hemisphere. Sun for the Hindus stands for
Pratyaksha-Brahman - the manifest God, who
symbolizes, the one, non-dual, self-effulgent,
glorious divinity blessing one & all tirelessly.
Sun is the one who transcends time and also the
one who rotates the proverbial Wheel of Time.
The famous Gayatri Mantra, which is chanted
everyday by every faithful Hindu, is directed to
Sun God to bless them with intelligence &
wisdom. Sun not only represents God but also
stands for an embodiment of knowledge & wisdom.
Lord Krishna reveals in Gita that this
manifested divinity was his first disciple, and
we all know it to be indeed a worthy one too. No
Sundays for the Sun, may be because one who
revels in its very 'being', the very essence of
his own Self, is always in the Sunday mood.
The co-relation of cosmic events with individual
life and values is one of the most astounding
traits of Hindu Masters. Once this co-relation
is brought about thereafter these cosmic events
become instrumental to remind us the best which
we cherish & value. Of all the cosmic bodies Sun
is the most glorious & important, thus every
sun-centric cosmic event became very important
spiritual, religious & cultural events. On Makar
Sankranti day the Sun begins its ascendancy and
journey into the Northern Hemisphere, and thus
it signifies an event wherein the Gods seem to
remind their children that 'Tamaso Ma Jyotir
Gamaya'. May you go higher & higher - to more &
more Light and never to darkness.
Shrawan Maah Shrawan Maah is highly
auspicious month for the lord Shiva devotees.
Special decoration is been done on every Monday
of the month. On first Monday of the month lord
Shiva’s decoration is being performed, on second
Monday lord Bhagwa Shankar and mother Parvati’s
moveable statues are being decorated. On third
and fourth Monday , shri Ardhyanarishwar and
Shri Rudrakshay , decoration is being performed
respectively. The whole month of Shrawan Maah
is celebrated with great enthusiasm, it is
highly auspicious as every member of Lord
Shiva’s family are decorated and special ‘Jhoola
Sringar ’is being performed.
Akshya
Tritiiya Akshya Tritiiya is considered
one of the four most auspicious days of the
Vedic Calendar. It is the third day of the new
moon of Vaishakh month (April-May).
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