Radha Vallabha plays boardgames. Radha Vallabha, one of Vrindavan’s most ancient Thakurjis, celebrates Kartik by sitting in a special silver window and playing chaupad (a board game) with Radha Rani. The Goswamis at Radha Vallabha temple act as stand-ins for Radha-Krishna and play the game while singing special pad-gayan (game related songs). The astonishing thing is that, somehow, Radha Rani’s team always wins the game. Dr Rajesh Sharma, co-editor at the Vrindavan Research Institute, said that references to playing this game as part of a yearly festival are found in ancient, handwritten manuscripts. It is thought that the chaupad boardgame originated in Braj, then spread to other parts of India. Read more (Hindi)
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P.C. AfternoonDC
Yamuna ghats are being Dredged. Preparations such as dredging the shallow parts of the Yamuna are now underway, in preparation for the Yama Dvitiya festival. The festival is also known as Bhai Dooj and is celebrated on the day after Diwali. On this day, brothers and sisters take snarn in Yamuna together. It is said that Yamraj and his sister, Yami, exchanged gifts on this day. Yesterday, DM Arvind Malappa Bangari, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Ujjwal Kumar, and SP Shravan Singh, inspected the ghats. The dredging machine has started work to create deeper bathing pools, and temporary fencing will also be installed. Change rooms for women will be organized, on both sides of the Yamuna, and police will patrol the area. The auspicious time for taking snarn begins at midnight, so lighting is also an important consideration. Yamuna Action Plan official, Gopeshwarnath Chaturvedi, was also present at the inspection to ensure that the festival and its preparations cause minimum damage to Yamuna’s ecology. Read more (Hindi)
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P.C. Jagran
Hanuman Bhaktas dance in the streets. Yesterday, as part of Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, dozens of Hanuman Bhaktas from Singhpur Hanuman Temple took Hanuman’s Rath around Loi Bazaar. Despite the traffic and Diwali rush, people happily stopped to watch the procession and joined in with cheers of ‘Jay Hanuman!’ Singhpur Hanuman is one of the most important, historical temples of Vrindavan. Singhpur Hanuman’s name comes from the local legend that, when Muslims attacked Govind Dev temple, Hanuman roared like a lion to scare them off. Read more (Hindi)
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P.C. The Financial Express
Locals upset about Reservation in Municipal Elections. In the lead up to the Municipal elections, there is much discontent about the reservation of the Mayor seat for a person from a scheduled caste. Mathura-Vrindavan is home to persons of all castes, but, there is a disproportionate number of Brahman families, both Brijwasi Brahmans and Pandits from other states, who immigrate to Vrindavan seeking work in temple related activities. Many are now feeling that the reservation of seats in the election will mean that their interests will not be represented by the local government. It is expected that the BJP will be disadvantaged, because it will be hard for them to find SC candidates. Read more (Hindi)
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P.C. Bharatayur
National Ayurveda Day. Yesterday, Dhanteras was celebrated all over India. Dhanteras is also known as Dhanvantri Trayodashi and National Ayurveda Day. It is said, that, on the day of Dhanteras, when the Gods and demons churned the ocean for Amrita (nectar), Dhanvantari (the physician of the Gods and an incarnation of Vishnu) emerged carrying the jar of the nectar. Lord Dhanvantari is said to be the inventor of the Ayurvedic school of medicine. In 2016, the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), announced that Dhanteras will be celebrated as ‘National Ayurveda Day’, in recognition of the importance of Ayurvedic medicine. Read more (English)
The post Today’s Digest: Thakurji’s Boardgame; Yama Dvitiya Preparations; National Ayurveda Day, and more… appeared first on Vrindavan Today.
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