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Sri Nityananda Trayodashi is the auspicious appearance day of Nityananda Prabhu. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna appeared in Navadvipa as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to establish the Sankirtana Movement (the yuga dharma for this age of quarrel and hypocrisy). To help the Supreme Lord in His mission, Lord Balarama appeared as Nityananda Prabhu. He assisted Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by spreading the holy name of the Lord throughout Bengal.

The Appearance of Lord Nityananda

Nityananda Prabhu appeared in the village of Ekachakra, in the district of Birbhum (West Bengal) as the son of Padmavati and Hadai Pandita in the year 1474 AD. He was born on the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Magha (Magha Shukla Trayodashi). Even today pilgrims visit the place of birth of Lord Nityananda in Ekachakra. This temple is called Garbhavasa. The parents of Lord Nityananda hailed from the family of pious brahmins originally from Mithila.

Nityananda Prabhu is an eternal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Vaishnava acharyas emphatically state that people who try to understand Chaitanya Mahaprabhu without getting the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu will never succeed and one must pray very sincerely to Lord Nityananda Prabhu as the adi-guru (original spiritual master) to be delivered to the Lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Watch this video to see the glimpses of the festival.

Devotees fast till noon and pray to Lord Nityananda for spiritual strength. At 6:00 pm devotees assemble at the Kalyani. The utsava deities of Gaura Nitai go on a procession carried in a pallki decorated with flowers. Devotees sing Hare Krishna Maha-mantra in great ecstasy. Once the procession reaches the kalyani, the Deities of Gaura Nitai go for a boat ride. Devotees offer flowers to the Deities seeking their blessings. Pasadam is distributed to all the assembled devotees. After the nauka utsava, the Deities are taken back to the main temple in the pallaki. A grand abhisheka is performed at the main temple hall.

The abhisheka is very special as the Deities are bathed with scented water, etc., and given a sandal oil massage. After the massage the Deities are bathed with panchagavya which is a combination of milk, curd, sweetened water, ghee and honey. The Deities are then given Sarvaushadhi Snana followed by 108 kalasha snana and then bathed with herbal extracts, scented water, exotic fruit juices, flowers, etc. This abhisheka is performed once in a year, on the occasion of Sri Nityananda Trayodashi at Iskcon Bangalore.