Panihati Cida-dadhi mahotsava Festival, June 3, 2012, Bali, Indonesia
By Hari Narayana das
Inspired by the wonderful “cida-dadhi-mahotsava,” the chipped rice festival as described in the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita under the guidance of H.H. Subhaga Swami Maharaj the SAKKHI (Sampradaya Kesadaran Krishna Indonesia- approval GBC ISKCON) tried to follow step-by-step the instructions given by Lord Nityananda to Raghunatha dasa Goswami.:
Hearing this, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, "You are a thief. Now you have come to see Me. Come here, come here. Today I shall punish you," the Lord called him, but Raghunatha dasa did not go near the Lord. Then the Lord forcibly caught him and placed His lotus feet upon Raghunatha dasa's head. "Make a festival and feed all My associates yogurt and chipped rice." Hearing this, Raghunatha dasa was greatly pleased. Raghunatha dasa brought chipped rice, yogurt, milk, sweetmeats, sugar, bananas and ether eatables and placed them all around. As soon as they heard that a festival was going to be held, all kinds of brahmanas and other gentlemen began to arrive. Thus there were innumerable people. Seeing the crowd increasing, Raghunatha dasa arranged to get more eatables from other villages. He also brought two to four hundred large, round pots. He also obtained five or seven especially large
earthen pots, and in these pots a brahmana began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction of Lord Nityananda.” (Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Antya-Lila Chapter 6)
The venue of the festival was the Gedong Gandhi Asram, Candidasa beach, Amlapura regency, Bali, Indonesia. The festival was done on Sunday june 3, 2012. The devotees with enthusiasm prepared the venue the day before the festival day by decorating the altar for the festival.
The day finally arrived a wonderful opportunity for all to be completely absorbed in Lord Gauranga’s service. With numerous pots filled with lovingly prepared chipped rice, festive flags and banana leaves, sweet kirtana sounds in the air and a large gathering of vaisnavas around Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, the Gedong Gandhi ashram, Candi dasa Beach, Amlapura, Bali, Indonesia, was transformed into the village of Panihati.
The deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai from all temples in bali were presented to this festival. They were from Sri Sri Radha Rasesvara temple, Badung Sri Sri Radha madhava temple, Gianyar, Sri Sri Radha Kunjavihari temple, Klungkung, Sri Sri Jagannath Gauranga temple, Denpasar, Sri Sri Radha Gopinath temple, Badung. They were brought in palankeen with colourfull decoration.
The sound of bhajan filled the air and the breeze of the ocean cooled the atmosphere. Under the coconut tree’s shadow the devotees made many small groups around the area. It created the picnic ground more beautiful. The time came for the procession. The dresses of the Gaura Nitai deities were changed. Then, They were placed in the palankeen before going to the beach for taking bath. The snake like parade of the devotees followed the deities to the beach. The kirtan was never end accompany the procession. Devotees also did book sankirtan and food distribution to non devotee on the way to the beach.
On the beach the Lords were brought to the ocean and bathed. Many devotees also joined swiming in the beach. The other stayed on the shore and chanted the holy name loudly. The Lord swam for about 30 minutes before returned to the venue.
Arriving in the Gedong Gandhi Ashram, the Deities were bathed using Panca-mrita by H.H. Subhaga Swami Maharaja. While, on the other place the matajis prepared the cidha under guidance His grace Ramanuja brahmacari. They mixed the yogurt, milk, chipped rice, mango, banana and others fruits into big pot then divided into small before offering to the Lord. other matajis prepared pot from banana leaf and filled with cidha.
His Holiness Subhaga swami maharaj gave lecture about the cida-dadhi mahotsava. The lila of Raghunatha das and Lord Nityananda flowed from the lotus mouth of H.H. Subhaga swami in sweet words. It flowed through theair and entered the ears of the devotees. The devotees drunk the lila in joyfull. They smiled for some time because of the story. Meanwhile the pujaris dressed the lord inside the altar. They dressed the lord with colorful dress and flower garlan. Then the pujari offered the cidha to the lord in pots.
Arati was done by H.H. Subhaga Swami maharaja. Once again the ecstatic kirtan performed following the arati. Over 2000 devotees from all over Bali joined in the festival and enjoyed the sweet of cidha which had offered to the Lord. This was the third Cida-dadhi mahotsava festival done in Bali, Indonesia.
Jay Panihati Cida dadhi mahotsava festival ki jay……