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Mathura’s Lord Krishna to adorn bow-arrow for Ram’s consecration in Ayodhya
On January 22, as the consecration ceremony unfolds in Ayodhya, devotees at the Bhagwat Bhawan Temple on the premises of Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, over 550 kilometres away from Ayodhya, will witness Thakur Keshav Dev (Lord Krishna) adorned with a bow and arrow instead of his traditional flute.
Agra: Embracing the nationwide consecration enthusiasm, Mathura, the sacred birthplace of Lord Krishna, is also soaked in Ram bhakti.
On January 22, as the consecration ceremony unfolds in Ayodhya, devotees at the Bhagwat Bhawan Temple on the premises of Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, over 550 kilometres away from Ayodhya, will witness Thakur Keshav Dev (Lord Krishna) adorned with a bow and arrow instead of his traditional flute.
Normally residents of Mathura greet each other with ‘Radhey Radhey’ but these days one can often hear chanting of ‘Jai Sri Ram’ .
The office-bearers of Sri Krishna Seva Sansthan, looking after day to day working at Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, are busy these days. On the day of Makar Sankranti (January 15), 300 kilogramme of ‘laddoos’ were dispatched to Ayodhya for ‘bhog’ (offering) at Sri Ram Mandir .
“Lord Krishna in his child avtar is more popular as ‘laddoo gopal’ in Braj and so, sending of ‘laddoo’ has its own significance. These ‘laddoo’ are to be part of ‘naivedya prasad’ or food that would be offered to ‘Ramlala’ (Lord Ram in child avtar) of Avadh from ‘laddoo gopal’ of Braj,” informed Kapil Sharma, the secretary of Sri Krishna Seva Sansthan.
The region east of Lucknow is commonly known as Avadh while region in and around Mathura is popular as Braj .
‘A gold plated bow and arrow were placed at the feet of Thakur Keshav Dev Ji Maharaj (another name of Lord Krishna) on Makar Sankranti. These will be in the hands of Thakur Keshav Dev on January 22, when Lord Krishna will appear more as Lord Rama before devotees at Bhagwat Bhawan temple in Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi,”’ said Sharma.
‘The whole premises of Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi will be drenched with the name of Lord Ram on January 22 when consecration ceremony will be telecast live at vast screen at Leela Manch,”’ said Gopeshwar Chaturvedi, member of the Sansthan.
“Artist of Braj are already at work and the idols of ‘Radha Krishna’ will be transformed to look like ‘Siya Ram’ or Lord Ram with Sita. ‘Pushp-bangla, a model of Sri Ram Temple at Ayodhya made with flowers, will be a highlight at Bhagwat Bhawan and ‘kesaria flags’ will be all over Krishna Janmabhoomi,” he said.
‘A grand ‘deepdaan’ (offering of earthen lamps) will take place at 5 pm on January 22 at Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi. The day will be no less than the festival of ‘Diwali’ as it comes after 500 years of wait. Special prayers will be offered for those who laid down their livese during Ram Janmabhoomi agitation,” said Kapil Sharma while appealing to ‘Brajwasi’ (residents of Braj) to decorate Mathura just like Ayodhya on January 22.
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Tulsidas had visited Mathura
It is said that Tulsidas who penned ‘Ramcharitmanas’ on the life of Lord Ram had visited Mathura. A staunch devotee of Lord Ram, Tulsidas was found hesitant in bowing before the idol of Lord Krishna. When asked the reason, Tulsidas stated ‘Tulsi mastak tab nabhe jab dhanush baan leyo haath’ (head of Tulsidas will bow if there is bow and arrow in the hand of my lord).
Gopeshwar Chaturvedi, member of Sri Krishna Janmsthan Sewa Sansthan informed that flute in Lord Krishna’s hand would be replaced by bow and row as the Lord would be in a form of (avtar) of Lord Ram on January 22. “This happens also on Ram Navmi when the idol of Lord Krishna holds bow and arrow for a day in place of flute because for devotees Ram and Krishna are one and the same,” he said, adding, “Both Maryada Purshottam Sri Ram and Yogeshwar Krishna are incarnations of Lord Vishnu.”
