Holi Sadhana Program
(Bhakti Dham Mangarh)
Holi, the spring festival of colors, celebrated eternally in Divya lok, has also been one of the most joyful celebrations throughout India for thousands of years. From Bengal to Gujarat, from Goa to Uttar Pradhesh, brilliant colors of gulal fill the air in cities, towns and villages as people, young and old, play Holi. However, nothing compares to the Holi celebration of Mangarh Dham, the appearance place of Shree Kripaluji Maharaj.
In Mangarh, U.P., during the 10 days preceding Holi, Shree Maharajji graciously arranges a Sadhana Program, attracting thousands of devotees to his satsang. During this time, the days and nights are filled with devotional meditation, chanting and Shree Maharajji’s Divine discourses. Shree Maharajji delights the hearts of his devotees by all means; with warm, perfumed, colored water, then with thousands of fragrant flower petals and with multiple colors of powdered gulal. These joyous and Gracious acts of Shree Maharajji are gifts of Divine love showered on the devotees, gracing them with a true devotional experience of Holi and coloring their hearts with the Divine Grace and love of Shree Radha Krishn.
When the day of the Holi celebration arrives, the sun is shining, the air is pleasantly warm and everyone is dressed in anticipation of what is to come. In the late morning, hundreds of devotees gather next to Bhakti Mandir, awaiting Shree Maharajji’s arrival. Then comes the moment everyone has been waiting for as Shree Maharajji strides onto a platform in the middle of the crowd, ready to play Holi! He joyously greets everyone, “Ho, Ho, Ho,Ho, Holi Hai!” and the crowd roars back enthusiastically, “Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Holi Hai! Mangarh Holi ki Jai!” In what seems like an instant, the air is filled with a riot of bright, multi-colored gulal from Shree Maharajji’s unique pichakarin, specially made to shower the maximum number of devotees at once. No one is left out! The delight of the devotees defies description, as they are fully drowned in the gulal and the Holi pad kirtans that fill the air. In the end, everyone is completely drenched inside and out with hearts overflowing from the special Grace of playing Holi with Shree Maharajji. |
