Rangbhari Ekadashi marks start of Holi festivities in Vrindavan temples

Mathura (UP), Feb 27 (PTI) Rangbhari Ekadashi on Friday marked the beginning of Holi celebrations in the temples of Vrindavan, with long queues of devotees seen outside major shrines and the town reverberating with traditional 'rasiya' hymns.

The festivities were also streamed live for devotees across the country and abroad, with the Shri Bankey Bihari temple launching a darshan live telecast service from Friday morning. The live streaming began at 7.55 am within the temple premises and from 1 pm on the temple's official social media platforms.

At the Bankey Bihari Temple, priests said the festivities began with Lord Bankey Bihari symbolically playing Holi with devotees.

Gyanendra Kishore Goswami, a 'sewayat' (priest) of the temple, said the ritual commenced with Thakur ji sprinkling saffron, rose water, tesu (flame of the forest) extract and perfume-filled water from a 'pichkari' on Radha Rani, followed by a playful exchange of colours.

Tracing the origin of the festival to the 'Dwapar Yuga', Goswami said it was believed that Radha first applied colour on Lord Krishna's cheeks, marking the beginning of Holi traditions in Braj.

After Ekadashi rituals, gujia and jalebi were offered to the deity as prasad. Bankey Bihari adorned white attire for the occasion and will continue to do so till Dhulandi, when he will wear pink garments, he added.

Holi celebrations will be held during both morning and evening darshans.

Historian Prahlad Ballabh Goswami said the tradition of singing 'Holi Rasiya' in Braj has a long history, with compositions penned by both Hindu and Muslim poets. Since morning, hymns such as "Aaj Biraj mein Holi re Rasiya" echoed not only inside temples but also through the narrow lanes of Vrindavan.

Anant Goswami, another sewayat at the Bankey Bihari temple, said Swami Haridas would sing devotional verses while adoring the deity, a practice that continues even today. Devotees also played flower Holi with the deity, while Laddu Holi and Jalebi Holi are scheduled in the coming days.

Shashank Goswami, a temple sewayat, said despite heavy rush, devotees displayed immense enthusiasm while playing Holi with their beloved deity.

However, he expressed concern over administrative movement restrictions, saying they caused inconvenience to senior citizens, women and local residents.

Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure amid heavy footfall, power supply to three local transformers -- 250 KVA at Cheer Ghat, 400 KVA at Kesi Ghat and 400 KVA on the road to Jugal Ghat near the Radha Ballabh temple -- was temporarily shut down, officials said.

Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Vrindavan Sandeep said the step was taken as large crowds were moving very close to electricity panels and poles in these areas.

He said supply would be restored once the crowd thinned out and clarified that there was no disruption in power supply to major temples.

At the Radha Damodar Temple, more than 200 foreign devotees participated in the celebrations that began during the previous evening's darshan, said Krishna Balram Goswami, a temple priest. The deities played Holi with a silver pichkari while dressed in basanti (yellow) attire, and prasad was distributed among devotees.

Sukrati Lal Goswami of the Radha Ballabh Temple said a procession accompanied by drums and nagaras would pass through prominent areas of Vrindavan to invite devotees for the evening Holi celebrations.

He said the day holds special significance for the temple as it commemorates the divine wedding of the deity.

Prominent saint Swami Awadheshanand said Holi in Braj is not merely celebrated but "lived", with devotees singing and dancing in devotion to Lord Krishna and Radha.

Regarding the live streaming facility, officials said the service was inaugurated on Rangbhari Ekadashi by retired Allahabad High Court judge and temple trust chairman Ashok Kumar and District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh.

From 7.55 am, live telecast began within the temple premises, while from 1 pm onwards darshan was streamed on the temple's official Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) pages to facilitate devotees unable to visit in person.

District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said officials have been instructed to check the use of harmful and chemical-based colours.

Police, fire, electricity and health department personnel have been deployed along the Parikrama Marg, and officers on duty have been directed to remain courteous towards devotees, he added.

Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said police have been asked to maintain strict vigil and take action against miscreants, particularly those involved in inappropriate behaviour towards women, children and senior citizens.

He added that authorities are monitoring rumours and have developed a QR code system to provide information about hospitals, parking facilities, police assistance centres and health camps for the convenience of devotees. PTI COR KIS NB