Jhulan Yatra & Balram Jayanti Celebrations

In the spiritual world, every talk is a song, every walk is a dance and every day is a festival. Among all such festivals Jhulan Yatra(swing festival) is very famous, especially in the holy land of Vrindavan It is celebrated in the Vrindavan. auspicious month of Shravan (July Aug). Beginning on the 11th day of the Shukla Paksha, the festival culminates on Shravan Poornima, the , appearance day of Lord Balaram (Balram Jayanti). The five day Jhulan Yatra was celebrated at ISKCON Pune from 29 July to 2nd August, 2012. The devotees were at their creative best in putting up different themes on all five days wherein the swing was decorated in various fashions. The theme on the 1st day was Vrindavan. Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari were placed in a swing bedecked Sri with different colored flowers right in front of the temple hall. A flowing
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channel of water beside the swing and the forest ambience gave a feeling water of Yamuna in Vrindavan. The devotional mood was furthe enhanced by further melodious kirtans accompanied by harmonium, mrindagam and kartals. The 2nd day theme was Sharad Poornima wherein the Vrindavan setting was made colourful by the use of holi colors colors. On the 3rd day, the swing was specially decorated by matajis using various fruits and vegetables that gave a very opulent look. There were bananas, lemons, cauliflowers to name a few. The 4th day saw the Lord adorned with mirrors and pearls while the theme for the 5th day was flutes and peacock feathers. The last day being Balaram Poornima, thousands of visitors as well as devotees thronged to get an opportunity to render intimate service to their Lordships by gently swinging them.

Balaram Jayanti Even as the visitors were lining up for swinging their Lordships on the their last day of Jhulan Yatra, hundreds of devotees were grabbing their seats in the Prasadam hall at ISKCON, Pune to have the closest possible view of abhishek ceremony. After all it was Balaram Jayanti, the appearance day of Lord Balaram. The devotees were also eagerly Balaram. waiting to hear the nectarine katha of HH Navayogendra swami Maharaj who had kindly agreed to stay back for the auspicious occasion. Their Lordships Sri Sri Krishna Balaram arrived by 6.45 pm accompanied by tumultuous chanting of holy names. What followed ting was a feast for the eyes. Almost two thousand devotees had packed into the hall to witness this divine ceremony. The pujaris delicately placed small garlands of dry fruits on the deities. The then performed They, abhishek with various sacred stuffs like milk, honey and juices. The charanamrita was accumulated in tubs and immediately transferred for public distribution. As the audience made way for Maharaj to come to the stage, more devotees packed to catch a glimpse of Maharaj, who is based at Maharaj, Udhampur, J&K. His sweet bhajans, humorous narration and crystal clear philosophical insight left the audience asking for more. The description of Lord BalaramThe delicious prasadam comprising of kofta and butter halwa made the celebrat celebrations even sweeter.