Festivals
Holi
Gaura Purnima Jhulan Yatra
Krishna Janmasthami
Srila Prabhupada's Appearance Day
Radhastami
Kartika
Govardhana Puja and Anakuta
Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day
There are numerous festivals throughout the year celebrating the Lord’s
appearance and various pastimes as well as the lives of great saints. The major
festivals are described below.
Festival Dates
| Festivals |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
| Holi |
|
2/28 |
3/19 |
| Gaura Purnima |
|
2/28 |
3/19 |
| Jhulana Yatra |
8/1 |
8/20 |
8/9 |
| Janmastami |
8/14 |
9/2 |
8/22 |
| SP Appearance |
8/15 |
9/3 |
8/23 |
| Radhastami |
8/27 |
9/15 |
9/5 |
| Kartika |
10/4-11/1 |
10/22-11/20 |
10/11-11/9 |
| Govardhan Puja |
10/19 |
11/7 |
10/27 |
| SP Disappearance |
10/22 |
11/9 |
10/30 |
| Holi is celebrated for several days, at
different places around Braja, before the actual day of Holi. People throw
colored powdered dye and colored water on each other. This is joyfully
celebrated in Vraja, especially at Varsana, Nandagram and Dauji. In Varsana
the festival includes colorful processions with music, song, dance, and some
boisterous scenes around the temples. If you go to these festivals you
should expect to be totally covered in dye and never able to use the clothes
you are wearing again, at least until next year’s festival. |
|
|
|
This is an major Gaudiya Vaishnava festival that falls at the same time as
Holi (Feb.-March).
Many temples in Vrindavana were established by followers of Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, and His appearance day is regarded as an important festival.
|
Jhulan Yatra Mahotsava (Swing Festival)
|
During Jhulan Yatra the Radha-Krishna Deities in the temples are swung on a
swing. This is one of the biggest festivals of the year in Vrindavana. It is
very crowded at this time. Often the swings are made of gold or silver. Some of
the main temples for this festival are the Banke Bihari, Radha-Raman,
Dwarkadisha Temple (Mathura) and the Larily Lal Temple (Varsana).
|
 |
| This celebrates the appearance day of Lord
Krishna in Mathura. It is celebrated in an elaborate way in Vrindavana. The
temples are beautifully decorated. Dramas are performed, which depict the
pastimes of Krishna. There is a elaborate
arati
at 12 midnight in temples all over Vrindavana.
|
 |
Appearance Day of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 |
This is the appearance day of Srila Prabhupada,
who is the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness. There is a festival held in the morning at the Krishna
Balarama Temple. This event is also observed at some other temples in
Vrindavana. |
| This is the appearance day of Srimati
Radharani. It is 15 days after the appearance of Lord Krishna. There is an
all night kirtan held the night before Radhastami at the Larily Lal Temple
in Varsana, ending with an ecstatic
mangala arati. Many people go the Varsana on this day for this very
popular festival. Temples throughout Vrindavana celebrate this major
festival. |
 |
 |
This is a very auspicious month in Vrindavana.
Every night lamps are offered to the Deities in many temples. This month is
also known as the month of Damodar. There is a special program of worshiping
the Lord in His Damodar form. Damodar refers to Krishna’s being bound with
rope by His mother, Yasoda. Thousands of pilgrims come to Vrindavana during
this holy month. |
 |
This festival is celebrated the day after
Dipawali, during Kartika. This popular festival celebrates Krishna’s lifting
Govardhan Hill and the offering of a mountain of food items to Govardhan
Hill by Nanda Maharaja and the residents of Vraja. In most of the temples in
the area, huge quantities of food are prepared in this ceremony and then
distributed to the general public. On this day Govardhan Hill is worshiped.
Govardhan Puja is also known as the Annakuta festival. On this day there is
a continuous stream of visitors to Govardhan Hill. Manasi Ganga and Jati
Pura are especially crowded. |
The
Disappearance Day of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
 |
This festival to remember and glorify Srila
Prabhupada is held during the day at his Samadhi Mandir at the Krishna
Balarama Temple. Srila Prabhupada is the one who “introduced Vrindavana to
the world” and spread Krishna consciousness around the globe. |
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