Tulsi’s wedding gift: past life sins forgiven. Yesterday, on Devottan Ekadasi, thousands of people in Braj and across India, performed marriage ceremonies for Tulsi Devi and Shaligram Bhagvan. Vrindavan is perhaps the only place name that refers to Vrinda Devi, who is incarnated as the sacred Tulsi plant. The last Ekadasi in Kartik marks the festival known as ‘Tulsi Pooja’ or ‘Tulsi Vivaha’. In this festival, Tulsi is dressed in red cloth (bridal costume) and offered arati. Doing Tulsi Parikrama 108 times on this day is especially beneficial. Tulsi Maharani kindly absolves us of the ramifications of our sins, which slow down our spiritual progress.
Vrinda Devi’s Parade, Kosi. P.C. Jagran
It is inspiring to see that even the smallest houses and jopedis in Braj have carefully cultivated Tulsi plants. In the houses of Braj where Shaligram Bhagvan resides, a marriage ceremony is held to commemorate Vrinda Devi’s purity and Vishnu’s great love for her. It is said that those who perform Tulsi’s marriage ceremony on this day are absolved of the ramifications of sins, even those sins committed in previous lives.
Bazaar Theft: Thakurji stolen. Gidhoh village, Nandagao: A thief has stolen priceless, ancient, Radha-Krishna deities from a temple in Gahvarvan, hoping to get some material reward. The thief also stole the Ladoo Gopal deity, temple bells and aarti plates. When Mahant Balikdas Maharaj checked the temple at 11.30pm last night, he found the door open. The four main deities were gone, items were scattered around the temple and important temple documents were missing. Maharaj filed a complaint with the police, and a search for the thief is underway. Unfortunately, deity theft is quite common in the area. One temple celebrates an annual festival on the day when Sri Maan Bihari Lal returned after being discovered at the Bengal border. Read more (Hindi)
Lord Dwarkadish. P.C. Tripadvisor
Thakhurji ready for winter. Now that Kartik is at an end, arrangements are being made in temples around Braj for the winter season. In Barsana’s Radha Rani Temple, Radha Rani has stopped wearing flower garlands. Instead, she will wear silk necklaces. Temple timings have also changed. At Sri Radharani Temple, Barsana, Mangala Aarti is now being held at 6 am, Adargar Aarti at 8.00 am, Rajbhog Aarti at 1:30 pm, Upadhyay Aarti at 4 pm, Sandya Aarti at 6:30 pm and Shayan Aarti at 8pm. Read more (Hindi) Mathura’s Dwarkadish Temple will now open in the evenings from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, morning timing remains as 6.30am to 10.30am. Read more (Hindi)
P.C. Jagran
Officer nabbed for eating kids’ food money. Mathura, Tuesday: Child Development Project Officer (CDPO), Neeraj Kumar, has been arrested for demanding a Rs10,000 bribe for releasing funds that were designated for kids’ nutritional supplements. Mithilesh Vikas Mandal, who is in charge of the Kolahar village Anganwadi (Government kindergarten) asked the officer to release the funding, but got the reply that she would have to pay Rs10,000 back to the officer. Mithilesh complained to the Agra division of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Anti-corruption Bureau inspector, Bhaiya Lal, met with the DM, who deployed additional personnel. The Anti corruption team advised Mithilesh’s husband, Vijender Singh to hand over Rs10, 000 to the CDPO Kumar and, when he took the bribe, they entered the premises and caught him red handed. Read more (Hindi)
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