Ritika
Prakatyotsav of Thakur Shribanke Bihari Maharaj will be celebrated on Monday, 28 November in Mathura’s Vrindavan. Preparations are underway to make the event grand. Devotees have started reaching Vrindavan to participate in the Pradurbhava Mahotsav of Aaradhya. Acharya Prahlad Vallabh Goswami, the sevayat and historian of the temple, told that on Bihar Panchami, the event will be held at the place of appearance of Bihariji at Nidhivanraj temple in the morning. Swami Haridas’s congratulations procession will reach Bihariji temple in the afternoon via the main routes of the city. Where Mangal Tika, Bhog, Raag, Aarti, congratulatory singing and Prasad will be distributed to Banke Bihariji dressed in yellow clothes and jewellery. In the afternoon, a special cake made of Panchmeva will be offered at Rajbhog. Many religious events will be held at Thakur Shribankebihari Temple and Nidhivanraj on Prakatyotsav.
Pranav Goswami, the sevayat of the temple told that the artisans of Agra are preparing a special zari dress for Thakurji. This dress will be priceless and will have a glimpse of peacock. He told that on Prakatyotsav, Aaradhya will be offered Panchmevayukt Halwa in Balbhog in the morning, 21 kg cake along with delicacies in Rajbhog in the afternoon. The cake will be prepared from Mawa and Panchmeva will be added to it.
Sevayat Acharya Prahlad Vallabh Goswami told that about 479 years ago, on the Shuklapaksha Panchami of the month of Margashirsha (Agahan), the coordinated form of Shyamshyama’s duet, which appeared in Nidhivanraj from the musical practice of musician Haridas, is called by the name of Thakur Shribanke Bihari. Prakatyotsav of Thakur Banke Bihari is celebrated on Bihar Panchami.
Prahlad Vallabh Goswami told that about seven decades ago the traditional festival of Bihar Panchami was celebrated in a simple way. From the year 1955 to 58, the Management Committee, which handled the arrangements of the temple, constituted the Banke Bihari Samaroh Parishad in association with Goswami Chhabile Vallabhacharya. Since then, the tradition of taking out a procession in the festival started.
Along with the devotees, the Beriwala family also makes a special contribution in the Bihar Panchami festival, which is gradually expanding. On the festival, Bihariji, who wears precious ornaments along with yellow dress in the temple decorated with yellow polis, is offered special bhog of saffron punch, almond halua and dry fruit laddoos.
