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Holi Utsav or Rang Utsav has a special significance
in Swaminarayan Sampraday. This utsav is also very famous as
Phuspadolotsav in Swaminarayan Sampraday. Lord Shree Swaminarayan
celebrated Holi Utsav or Rangotsav on various occasions. Shree
Swaminarayan Gurukul, Rajkot and its branches specially at Gurukul
Surat celebrate this festival every year. This year to mark the
various occasions Holi Utsav was celebrated in devotional and
enthusiastic atmosphere.
The festival was started on 4th March by
starting 70 hours continuous Raas to mark the 6th
anniversary of Akhand Dhun (Continuous chanting of ‘Swaminarayan’
mantra with musical instruments) started by Pujyapad Shree Jogi
Swamiji six years ago. Pujya Dharmavallabhdasji Swami and Pujya
Naranprasad Swami started the Raas at around 3.00 in the afternoon
after performing the Aarti of Thakorji. The students of Ahmedabad
Gurukul concluded this continuous Raas on 7th March i.e. on
Rangotsav day.
Around 45,000 verses were composed by nand santos.
‘Akhand Samuh Kirtan festival’ was celebrated on 5th March
and completed on 6th at 7.00 in the evening. It was started
at around 8.00 in the morning by saints, students and youths by
performing raas with various musical instruments and chanted around
142 verses. Pujya Hariprasad Swami concluded the Akhand Raas by
performing Aarti.
Since last three years in Surat Gurukul continuous
Mantralekhan is going on, that’s the notable thing in the Sampraday
and every day in at least one house of the Gurukul family organising
twenty-four hours mantralekhan in true spirit and devotion. Till date
around 400 million Matralekhan has been performed. To mark the
offering of ten percentage of mantralekhan (Purshcharan) the
yagna was organised on 5th March at 9.00 in the morning in
front of Shree Ghanshyam Maharaj. Around 108 male & female haribhaktas
have participated in this holy ritual daily . On 6th March
at 6.30 in the evening Pujya Sdg. Shree Devkrishandasji Swami and
Pujya Sdg. Shree Madhavpriyadasji Swami have concluded the yagna by
Aarti.
Everyday since 1999 in Surat Gurukul the Mahapooja
shaped by Sdg. Shree Gopalanand Swami and Janmangal Yagna are being
performed by four holy bhrahmins in great spirit and devotion.
Mahavishnu Yaag was organised on 5th and 6th of
March to mark the occasion of Rangotsav. Final aahuti (bidu) was
offered by Pujya Sdg. Shree Devkrishnadasji Swami and Pujya Sdg. Shree
Madhavpriyadasji Swami.
The Abhishek of Ghanshyam
Maharaj was performed at 6.00 in the morning on the Rangotsav day to
celebrate the 7th and 1st Prathistha festival of
Ghanshyam Maharaj based in the sadhu aashram and the main prayer hall
respectively with many fluids like panchamrut- milk, curd, honey,
ghee, sugar, kesar, rose, perfume, with different types of 51 juices
by Sdg. Mahant Swami Shree Devkrishnadasji Swami and Pujya Sdg.Shastri
Shree Madhavpriyadasji Swami followed by all other saints.
After the Abhishek attractive Annakuts of around
223 items of sweets and savouries were offered. These holy annakuts
were organised by Shree Bhakti Mahila Mandal and the parents of 10th
standard students.
Sdg Shree Devkrishnadasji
Swami and Sdg. Shree Madhavpriyadasji Swami have worshipped Lord Shree
Swaminarayan’s Chakhdi with Tulsi-Patra reciting Janamangal Stotra &
Vedic chants. Haribhaktas have performed holy darshan and poojan of
Chakhdi upto 8.00 in the evening. It has also been announced that from
now onwards on every Rangotsav day this prasadi chakhdi of Lord
Swaminarayan will be available for darshan and poojan.
Gurukul’s main object is to
develop the child’s inner strength in a multifarious way. To keep this
in mind the inauguration ceremony of Satsang hall ‘ Sahajanad
Sanskrutic Bhavan’ was performed through the holy hands of Pujya Sdg.
Shree Devkrishnadasji Swami and Pujya Sdg. Shree Madhavpriyadasji
Swami. On this occasion students have performed skate dance.
Rangotsav is also regarded
as a Puspodolotsav in Swaminarayan Sampraday. On this occasion with
around one tone of flowers beautiful stage showing seven swings
suspended from the tree was prepared.
Once Arjun accompanied Shree Krishna to Raivatachal
- Mt.Girnar. Here the Lord pleased the Yadavas with his divine lilas.
To please the Lord in return Yadavas made a swing of flowers. Then
they offered seats to Shree Krishna and Arjun on the hindolo (swing),
performed pujan and swung the hindolo. Henceforth the two became
renowned as Nar-Narayan and the Pushpadolotsav came into being. Pujya Sdg.
Shree Devkrishna Swami and Pujya Sdg. Madhavpriya Swami have performed
the aarti of Shree Narnarayan Dev.
Saints sang Bhajans, ‘Vadtal ni Phul vadi’ thrilled
the haribhatas. All saints swung the hindolo by singing ‘Mahabalvant
Maya Tamari’. Young haribhatas performed the pujan of saints by
offering them flowers, dhani(parched grain) etc. Saints and
haribhaktas sang the kirtan composed by Pujya Sdg. Madhavpriyadasji
Swami ‘Vrundavan ma Kesuda naa Zaad’.
New stage show VCD and MP3 of Bhagvat Katha were
released on the occasion. The students of Gurukul performed the play
of ‘Mancha Khachar’ signifying the glory and importance of satsang. On
this occasion the Saints awarded many students those who have
performed well in ‘Satsang Dharmik’ examinations. Pujya Sdg. Shree
Madhavpriyadasji Swami described the glory and importance of
Pushpadolotsav and Paduka pujan of the Lord on the occasion. Gurukul
students have performed the ‘Katchi Raas’ on the occasion. At last
Pujya Guruvarya Sdg. Shree Devkrishnadasji Swami concluded the sabha
by describing the glory of the occasion.
On the Rangotsav day at around 12.00 noon all
saints and haribhaktas were participated in the Rangotsav festival.
All have performed raas on the occasion and light the firecrackers.
Saints
coloured the devotees arrived from Rajkot, Mumbai, Vapi, Vadodra,
Ankleshwar, Navsari, Ahmedabad and many more places. After male
haribhaktas ladies haribhaktas have also participated in the colour
festival.
More than 10,000 devotees attended the festival and departed after
having maha-prasad. |
