About Maharajji
GURU PURNIMA BHANDARA

 

Vrindavan, July 21st:  It is 5:00 AM in the morning and you can hear sounds of Ramayan Katha being sung continuously. At another end of the ashram in the kirtan bhavan, the constant chanting of 'Ram Naam' goes on unperturbed by the preparations for the huge bhandara to follow later in the day. There is an enthusiasm in the air and on the faces of the devotees who have risen early in the morning. The gardener is cleaning and putting up a new flower rangoli in Maharajji's kutia in front of Maharajji's photograph. Devotees rush into the kutia to be the first to get a darshan of Maharajji sitting majestically on his takhat.

The pujari (priest) of the Mahasamadhi Mandir is preparing for the morning aarti of Neeb Karori Baba. The doors of the temple have been opened but there still is a curtain between us and Maharajji. At 7:00 AM, the curtains are drawn and we get a full view of Maharajji's idol covered in a white dhoti and yellow angavastram. Beautiful decorations done with banana leaves surround Mahrajji on all sides.  The devotees shout aloud 'Maharajji ji ki Jai'. And then the arati continues ...

Decorations at Maharajji's Temple

Maharajji's Idol

8:00 AM ... Though I was a bit late to get up, I took a quick bath and rushed to the get prasad after Maharajji's arati. All around, I could see bright and smiling faces basking in the light emerging from Maharajji's temple. I then went around the ashram to get photos and darshan of the deities. Hanumanji was also decorated in a similar way. The usual prasad of 'chana' was being distributed at the Hanuman temple. From there I went to the Deviji temple and Ram-Sita temple.

I then went into Maharajji's kutia. In the verandah outside Ramayan path was going on which was to conclude around 11:00 AM. Beautiful photos of Maharajji and Ram Parivar were kept there. I went into the room with Maharajji's takhat which was full of devotees. Still, the room was quite and cool (the air conditioner!). Maharajji's photo on the takhat was decorated beautifully and on the right hand side was the usual lamp which I have seen burning continuously since I was a child (the akahand deep).

Maharajji and Ram Parivar in the Ram katha

Maharajji on his takhat at the kutia
11:00 AM ... Next on the programme was the Abhishek of Maharajji and Hanumanji to be conducted simulataneoulsy with the Ramayan katha. The place chosen for the Abhishek this time was the Yagyashala (though every time it is done at Maharajji's temple itself). The Abhishek is conducted by using a small metal idol of Maharajji and Hanumanji. The whole puja took about an hour after which prasad was offered to the deities.

12:00 NOON ... Once this was done the gates of the Ashram Hall were opened for the children. Among roars and cries of 'Maharajji ki Jai' children from all over Vrindavan entered to be the first ones to get the prasad of Maharajji's bhandara. Maharajji always instructed to feed the children first. So it has been a tradition at all Neeb Karori Baba ashrams to first feed children. After that the bhandara continued throughout the day and devotees  kept coming to get prasad till evening.

Maharajji's photo and Kalash in the Yagyashala

Abhishek of Hanumanji with milk

Metal idols of Maharajji and Hanumnaji

Puja thali, lamp, flowers and prasad

Report and exculsive coverage with photographs and videos by neebkaroribaba.com (NKB.com) Correspondent, Vrindavan.

Click here to read an exclusive interview with the writer of Vinay Chalisa and Pushpanjali (by our special correspondent). We will also be uploading videos of Guru Purnima bhandara soon. Keep checking this page for links.
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