Gaura Purnima
Gaura Purmina is the appearance anniversary of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) who is Radha and Krishna combined.
On this day, which is a full-moon day, everyone fasts till moonrise, and people visit the temple to see the Deities of the Lord in the temple room. The devotees present dramas and classes about Lord Chaitanya’s activities. The Deities of Gaura-Nitai receive new clothes, and the devotees engage in extra kirtan. At moonrise we serve a prasad feast (sanctified vegetarian food). At Bhaktivedanta Manor, the public Sunday festival of Gaura Purnima coincides with Holi.
Holi
Holi is a day in India when people throw brightly coloured water and powder over just about everyone they can! It is often known as the festival of colours and is connected with spring. Lord Krishna and the cowherd maidens also played by spraying coloured water at one other! During the evening there is a bonfire. This fire is part of the following story:
Five year old Prince Prahlada refused to obey his demoniac father, Hiranyakashipu, who was the most powerful person in the universe. Thus the wicked Hiranyakashipu tried to kill and torture Prahlada in many ways. However, Prahlad was protected by God. At one time, Hiranyakashipu’s wicked sister Holika (hence ‘Holi’) tried to kill Prahlad by carrying the child into a blazing fire. She had a boon that protected her from fire, but in this instance, the saintly Prahlad was protected, whilst his evil aunt burned to ashes.
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