By Basu Ghosh Das
Pictures [700+] on the internet:
The 526 annual observance of the appearance day of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was celebrated by thousands of pious members of the public at ISKCON Baroda on Thursday, March 8, 2012.
In the morning, Murlimohan Das, temple president of ISKCON Vijayawada, lectured on the life of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Jaya Gaurasundar Prabhu, formerely temple president of ISKCON Baltimore and ISKCON Phoenix, both in the USA, also participated in the function and both he and Murlimohan Prabhu performed the “sadhya arati”.
Later on, at 6:00 PM, panchamrita abhishek [bathing of the Lord with the “five nectars”] of Sriman Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Shaligram shila was performed in the temple room.
Hundreds of devotees watched the abhishek.
Thereafter “chappan bhog” [fifty six items – actually there were more] were offered to Their Lordships and then the sandnya [sunset] arati was performed.
By this time, huge crowds had gathered to wintess the arati. Simultaneously, prasad distribution to thousands began, in front of the temple.
Baroda Municipal Commissioner, Sri Ashvini Kumar, IAS, was personally serving prasad to the crowds! He remarked to me: “you are doing a wonderful service to the society”! He was very happy to have come for “darshan” [a vision of the Deities of Their Lordships] and see the huge crowds gathered for the festival.
Several other dignitaries: local political leaders of both BJP and Congress party, police officials and prominent business figures, visited the temple for darshan and prasad.
During arati, and long afterwards, Harinam Sankirtan was performed in the temple by both temple and congregational devotees.
IYF [ISKCON Youth Forum] devotees showed educational slide shows on a large screen erected on the lawn in front of the temple.
Nityananda Ram Das, ISKCON Baroda Vice President, along with Bhakta Dhirubhai Patel, Lalit Govinda Das arranged for the prasad distribution. Full meals consisting of puri, mixed subji (vegetables), chole (spiced chick peas), kadi (spiced yoghurt sauce), “phul wadi” (spiced chick pea flower with molasses, fried in oil), cracked wheat sweet (“lapsi” in Gujarati) and rice were served to all!
Srila Prabhupadas instruction is to serve ekadasi prasadam:
“Lord Caitanya’s Appearance day falls on March 22 (1970), that is on a Sunday. The devotees should fast until evening, when there is a ceremony and offering of a small amount of Ekadasi preparations. The next day, the devotees should celebrate amongst themselves with a small scale feast. You may hold the celebration open to the public on the following Sunday. The preparation to be offered specially on this occasion is bhuni kichri: Fry equal parts dal and rice in ghee and massala. Add two times water as dal and rice, and add vegetables (if you use more ghee, use less water). Cook it until it is dried and the rice is soft.”(Letter to Krishna dasa. 18th February 1970. Los Angeles.)
“P.S. No feasting in the evening of Caitanya’s birthday. Fasting all day till evening moon rise. Then take Prasadam like Ekadasi. Next day you can have full swing feasting. On the birthday if can take a procession of Kirtana on the street it is very nice.” (Post Script to Letter to Rayarama dasa. September. Unknown place unknown date Ref:91-05-14.)