Vrindavan, 2016.12.24 (VT): Among the winter festivals of Vraja, the Belvan Mela (fair) holds an important place. Thousands of people from across Vraja are visiting Belvan to have darshan of Mahalaxmi.
Belvan is situated in Jehangirpur village across the Yamuna from Vrindavan. The temple of Mahalaxmi is the core attraction of the festival. Devotees gather in the temple and sang various songs in praise of the Goddess.
This annual fair is held each Thursday throughout the Indian lunar month of Paush (December – January). Devotees from distant villages of Vraja and the surrounding districts come here to pay their respect to the Goddess, who is performing deep meditation.
According to Shrimad Bhagvatam, Lakshmi Devi is sitting, performing meditation with the desire to cross the Yamuna River and enter the Raas Lila of Shri Krishna.
Once, Lakshmi Devi heard a description from Sage Narad about Shri Krishna’s Raas Lila with the Gopis. An eagerness to behold this Raas Lila arose in Lakshmi Devi’s heart.
However, when she tried to enter Vrindavan to relish the Raas Lila, she was prevented from doing so, as no one is qualified to enter the Raas Lila except the gopis, for they are the embodiments of true love.
The gopis had such unconditional and unmotivated love for Krishna that they were ready to do anything to please Him, to the extent that if by giving the dust of their feet, Krishna’s pain was relieved for even a moment then they were ready to give that dust even if they had to go to hell for such an offence for the rest of eternity.
But Lakshmi Devi, being the Goddess of fortune, was not willing to become a gopi, for to do so would mean taking on simple village chores like picking up the cow dung and forming it into patties, milking cows, churning butter, and so forth. Instead, Lakshmi Devi remained in Belvan performing penances, and to this day she is unable to cross the Yamuna and enter the Raas Mandal.
In honor of Lakshmi Devi, devotees make food offerings and distribute the prasad amongst the people at the fair. Women make beautiful swastikas out of govar (cowdung), to seek wellbeing for families.
Along with celebrating the Goddess of wealth, the devotees use the event as picnic where they prepare khichdi, which everyone in the group participates in cooking. Later everyone enjoys khichdi prasad together.
The post Vrindavan Celebrates Belvan Mela on the Thursdays of Paush appeared first on Vrindavan Today.