MATHURA, Apr 20: Devotees thronged major temples in Mathura city to offer prayers on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya on Monday.
This day is considered special as devotees pay obeisance to Shri Banke Bihari (Lord Krishna) ji’s sacred feet, which are shaped like a lotus, and then have a ‘Sarvang Darshan’ of the deity in the evening, a once-in-a-year ritual, Gyanendra Kishor Goswami, a sewayat (priest) of Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, said.
“On this day, ‘Thakur ji’ (another name for Lord Krishna) wears a ‘pitambari’ (yellow dhoti) and ‘payal’, a tradition started by Swami Haridas. A sandalwood laddu is kept at the lotus-like feet of Thakurji, which is later distributed as prasad to devotees. The rituals for the day include applying sandalwood paste and offering ‘sattu prasad’ to Thakur Ji to protect him from the heat,” he said.
The ‘darshan’ of the lotus-like feet of Shree Banke Bihari ji is considered equivalent to visiting Shri Badrinath Shrine at Uttarakhand, which reopens on Akshaya Tritiya after closure in winter, Goswami added.
Talking about the traditions observed on this auspicious day, Radha Raman Temple’s priest Dinesh Chandra Goswami said, “Thakur ji adorns a dhoti, bagalbandi, crown, and flute–all made of sandalwood. Summer fruits like muskmelon and cucumber are now also included in ‘bhog prashad’. During the ‘Phool Bangla Utsav’, which also begins on Monday, Thakur ji is given a new floral abode daily. The temple will also observe ‘Jhanki Darshan’, where the curtains are drawn and opened frequently to protect the deity from evil eyes, only on Monday.”
Speaking on the importance of Akshaya Tritiya, Pawan Kaushik, the priest at Daan-Ghati Temple in Govardhan, said that this day is about giving ‘daan’ (donation) and seeking the Lord’s blessings, believed to be eternal. He added that it was on the day of Akshaya Tritiya that the ‘Treta Yuga’ ( the second of the four Hindu ages) began.
Meanwhile, the district administration has made special security arrangements in view of Akshyaya Tritiya. For better management, Mathura city has been divided into three zones and 11 sectors, overseen by police personnel and magistrates.
Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said that CCTV cameras and a public address system are being used to enhance security.
He further said that a detailed traffic plan is also in place to ensure congestion-free movement. Kumar noted that the introduction of railings at the Shri Banke Bihari Temple has significantly improved the convenience of seeking ‘darshans’ and enhanced the experience for devotees.
“Live TV streaming of darshans of Shri Banke Bihari ji has enabled many to enjoy this religious experience from the comfort of their homes. The LED panel has also improved the viewing experience for devotees present at the temple,” SSP Shlok Kumar added. (PTI)
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