March 21st, the first day of Spring, dawned with a threat to rain. Quickly passing, those morning clouds cooled things down and made it a perfect Spring day. Just perfect for Radha Shyamsundar’s Boat Festival in the Yamuna!
By 5 PM on this warm Saturday eveing, the teeth of the sun had been broken and it was very pleasant sitting at Keshi Ghat waiting for the festival to begin. Since this was the first time we were doing the Boat Festival on the Yamuna, naturally there were last minute glitches, but soon every thing was ready. Four foot Deities of Radha Shyamsudar radiantly reigned over Their beautiful swan boat as it began to glide up and down the Kalindi. On an island on the opposite side, Aindra Prabhus kirtan rolled accross the water to the devotees sitting on the ghats. One boat with the Vrindavan Sadhus pulled near and they began to shower the Deities with flower petals. Soon bags of flowers were passed around to other boats, and all the devotees began to do the same. The waters of the Yamuna began to flow with bright yellow and orange streaks.
Mukunda Prabhu, the Swiss head pujari, had brilliantly dressed and decorated Their Lordships. Shyamsundar was very cute, and Radharani beamed with quait Bengali plumpness. Specially made garlands adorned Their graceful necks and a gorgeous flower canopy rested over Their heads. After a couple of rounds of the ghats, They stopped in front of Aindra Prabhu’s kirtan party where more than
200 devotees were dancing ecstatically in the sand and even on the boats. There a Chappan Bhog offering cooked by our own devotees under the able guidance of Srestha Prabhu’s wife Mother Vishaka was offered to Radha Shyamsundar.
After another round of the ghats, the famous Yamuna Arti began. One Sadhu named Ganga Das swirled a giganitc multi tiered lamp over the waters of the Yamuna. Drums were beating and instruments playing. He was joined by many other Sadhus and our own devotees with smaller lamps. From special spouted pots, the devotees poured milk into the swirling waters of Kalindi.
As the sun set over the Yamuna, who it the Daughter of the Sun, Surya Putri, the festival wound down to a close with an energetic kirtan party on top of one of the piers. Unfortunately, the devotee who promised to bring nice fireworks from Delhi, never showed up, which would have made a spectacular grand finale to a spectacular festival. Oh well, we’ll try again next year.
Everyone kept coming to us and profusely thanking us for this wonderful festival and asking why we didn’t do it before. We told them it was Radha Shyamsundar’s desire, they were tired of seeing Their devotees pushed and shoved in a crowded temple room and They wanted to come to the Yamuna where everyone could peacefully participate. Anyway They arranged the whole thing as all week I had been laying in bed with a terrible case of the change-of-season flu. Actually Jankinath Prabhu, our Prison Preaching Incharge, and a small band of devotees organized the whole thing.
Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar’s Nauka Bihar ki Jaya! Sri Kalindi-Yamuna Devi ki Jaya! Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya!
The following is the link to see all the photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Vrindakunda4/RadhaShyamsundarSBoatFestivalInYamuna#
By Deena Bandhu dasa
