Rupotsava—an annual event to celebrate one of the most prominent gosvamis in Gaudiya Vaisnava lineage, Srila Rupa Gosvami—was delightfully celebrated by Vrindavan Institute of Higher Education (VIHE). This celebration has been going on since 1999. Rupotsava was held from 25th August to 28th August this year, to mark the disappearance day of Srila Rupa Gosvami. The celebration took place in several locations, including Srila Rupa Gosvami’s samadhi in Sri Sri Radha Damodara temple and Ter Kadamba. All the VIHE staff, students, and even some guests who had come from far away — all took part enthusiastically in this most-cherished festival dedicated to Srila Rupa Gosvami. From decorating, cooking bhogas, gathering flowers, making garlands, to broadcasting—everyone was engaged to make this commemoration successful.
On day one, right after mangala arati at 5.15 a.m., the staff and students formed a harinama team and moved from the VIHE towards Sri Sri Radha Damodara temple along the Vrndavana parikrama path. As the temple was yet to open, we all entered through the side door. It felt as though we were secretly moving in the temple to have the darsana and an intimate association of our Srila Rupa Gosvami. As soon as we entered the temple and the samadhi area, which is further in the interior of the temple, the serenity of the early morning atmosphere engulfed us. The excitement from the harinama shifted into a peaceful mood for the devotees.
And then started the kirtana in front of Srila Rupa Gosvami. The first kirtana was actually a morning raga, which took us deeper in our meditation and absorption in the holy name. The kirtana went on for over an hour, through which the devotees experienced joy of the nama sankirtana, longing for our acaryas and Srila Prabhupada, separation from them, gravity of the holy and potent dhama—all in that same hour!
During the kirtana, the pujari team from the VIHE was engaged in serving Srila Rupa Gosvami by offering him 1008 besan laddoos, garlands, bead bag, Harinama cadar, along with arati including incense, flowers, fragrant oil, etc.
After witnessing the offering, beautiful arati and invoking Srila Rupa Gosvami’s blessings, the devotees shifted to take darsana of Sri Sri Radha Damodara. This was yet again accompanied by an ecstatic kirtana as Their Lordships were yet to give us Their darsana. Finally, when the curtains opened, the devotees jubilantly danced in front of their Lords Sri Sri Radha Damodara and circumambulated the 64-samadhi area 4 times. After this, everyone settled in front of Jiva Gosvami’s samadhi to do their japa. Thus ended the first day of Rupotsava and the visit to Sri Sri Radha Damodara temple.
On the second day, 26th August, all VIHE students, staff and guests welcomed Srila Rupa Gosvami to the assembly hall from VIHE temple. As Srila Rupa Gosvami is ongoingly worshipped in the VIHE temple, this seemed to be quite a personal welcome to him. A procession was arranged for him to go upstairs. Lovingly, flower petals were flung in the air and they showered upon our acarya, thus decorating the path. After he was seated upon his asana, there was a grand arati offered to him by senior devotees and guests. The entire hall resonated with the ongoing kirtana while the guests beheld the ambience of the hall. Students and guests had personally decorated the venue. The life-sized potraits of the sada gosvamis, Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Gosvamis’ pastimes, harnima sankirtana of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu made the devotees feel deeply connected with the Rupotsava festival and our acaryas.
Once everyone settled in, the offering of kathas began, glorifying Srila Rupa Gosvami. HG Narayani Mataji spoke about the writings of Srila Rupa Gosvami and how Srila Prabhupada applied them in his life. HG Revati Vallabha Prabhu retold the incident of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s escape and meeting with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at Prayag Raj. HG Dina Bandhu Prabhu explained the philosophy behind how Srila Rupa Gosvami came to be known as the one who knows Sri Caitanya's mind. HG Panca Gauda Prabhu apprised the greatness of Bhakti-rasamrta Sindhu.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was tracing and mapping Srila Rupa’s journey through his life. A full wall was dedicated to the Rupa Map frame. HG Prasanta Mataji then took us through all the various pastimes that made Srila Rupa travel from one place to the other. The story started right from Karnata, the place of Srila Rupa’s ancestors’ home. It slowly continued to Paurastyadesa, Navahatta, Baklacandradvipa, Ramakeli, Gauda, Prayaga, Vrndavana, among other places, where Srila Rupa experienced his life’s major events. Thus, by tracing on the map all the places associated to his pastimes, the devotees got an overview and a closer look into Srila Rupa’s life.
Further enriching the event, HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Svami Maharaj shed light on Srila Rupa Gosvami's humility as a personality trait. By then, it was time for Srila Rupa’s honouring bhogas. Among kirtana and accompanied by Srila Prabhupada, he was taken back to the VIHE temple in a procession, as the bittersweet melody of je anilo prema dhana was started by the devotees present in the hall. The entire atmosphere had become Srila Rupa conscious by then. This was followed by Sri Rupa manjari pada sung by HG Mukunda Datta Prabhu, which further intensified the mood of the devotees. The whole event was being broadcasted live on the YouTube channel of the VIHE, thus ensuring that the online audience as well got a glimpse into the Rupotsava celebration.
Then all the devotees went down to the temple room and started singing guruvastaka and kirtana, during which, the alter curtains rose and Srila Rupa Gosvami gave his darsana again—this time with a grand feast of 150 bhogas present in front of him. Once the devotees took darsana of Their Lordships, they started to proceed to partake of the maha prasadam from Srila Rupa Gosvami.
Celebration on the third day started in the afternoon. The event was called the ‘Outpourings of Devotion’ where the speakers recited astakas and verses written by Sri Rupa Gosvami himself. Commencing with kirtana, HG Prasanta Mataji started singing the astakas and verses with an accompanying tanpuri. She elaborated the meanings of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s great literatures. A unique pastime she presented was ‘Atha Talavana Caritam’—the killing of the ass-demon Dhenukasura by Lord Krsna. By the end of it, the audience could hear the tala fruits falling on the ground and making a pathatham shabdham.
The next online speaker for the day was HG Dravida Prabhu. He spoke so swiftly yet eloquently the poetry which came to be called as the ‘Rupa Rap’ because of the alliteration and rhyme scheme of the work. He covered many writings of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s that were written decades back and recited the translations that he wrote in a very contemporary style of writing. He read out the translations that he wrote to Caitanyastaka, Kunjavihary astaka, Padyavali, Utkalika Vallari, Hari Kusuma Stabaka, Lalita Premastotra, among others.
He was followed by his student HG Divyambara mataji who also joined us online. She recited the Govinda Virudavali and the translation was read. The audience was joyfully absorbed in listening to Srila Rupa Gosvami’s outpourings of devotion.
The final day of Rupotsava festival marked the disappearance day of Srila Rupa Gosvami. On this most auspicious day, devotees went to Ter Kadamba, the place where Srila Rupa Gosvami spent most of his time writing scriptures, revealing the love in his heart to the divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. The day started with gurupuja offering, followed by a katha. In his lecture, HH Bhakti Dhira Damodara Maharaj said that the trees bent down to give shelter to Srila Rupa Gosvami, since there was no electricity nor house at that time.
In the center, devotees made a flower kunja for Srila Rupa Gosvami to sit in, next to the altar of Sri Krsna Balarama and Sri Radha Govinda. The deities were dressed in flower outfits bedecked with colourful petals. By late afternoon, around 300 bhogas were offered to Srila Rupa Gosvami. These bhogas were dispatched from various cities around India by the VIHE alumni and friends. Devotees gladly partook of the mahaprasada offered to Srila Rupa. Right after the prasada, melodious kirtanas started one after the other. By the evening time, jhulan yatra of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram started. Devotees also beheld the beautiful surroundings of Ter Kadamba, such as the kunda, trees and peacocks. Fower abhiseka was held after this, which almost hid the deities behind the delicate petals. As it was getting darker, 351 dipas were offered to him. The deepotsava lit up the atmosphere, while the devotees sang and danced ecstatically under the moonlight. The festival of Rupotsava 2023 was ended by singing sri rupa manjari pada led by HG Prasanta Mataji.
After having almost six hours of akhanda kirtana, by 10 pm, we left for our beloved land of Vrndavana, travelling through the braja night, reminiscing the special events, prasada, mercy, ecstasy of the day. Srila Rupa Gosvami pada ki jaya!
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