Panihati Chida Dahi Mahotsava – June 11, 2014Panihati is a town located on the banks of the Ganges, ten miles north of Kolkata. It is the site of many wonderful spiritual pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His close associates . This pastime is about how the devotees pleased Lord Chaitanya and how He reciprocated in a pleasing festival called - Panihati Chida-dahi mahotsav. This year it falls on June 11.
The tree under which this pastime of the Lord took place Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was previously a householder and wanted to join the personal association and service of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Jagannatha Puri. However, his father prevented Raghunatha dasa from doing so. After several failed attempts, Raghunatha dasa heard that Lord Nityananda Prabhu had arrived at Panihati. In order to receive the Lord’s causeless mercy, Raghunatha dasa went to take His darshana. When Lord Nityananda saw Raghunatha dasa, He ordered him to prepare and serve all of His associates with chida-dahi - flat rice mixed with yoghurt. In order to please the Lord, Raghunatha dasa immediately carried out His order by preparing and distributing large quantities of chida-dahi to all the devotees as well as hundreds of others who had arrived on the spot upon hearing that a festival was on at Panihati. Finally, Lord Nityananda blessed, and ordered His associates to bless, Raghunatha dasa, that he will be successful in attaining the personal association and service of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Even to this day many devotees from Mayapur and Kolkata assemble and conduct kirtanas and massive prasadam distribution to the thousands of pilgrims who arrive for the festival. Special pandals are erected in Panihati during this occasion. (This festival is explained in detail in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya-lila, Chapter 6). |
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