Holy Name Retreat
  • Retreat at Ekachakra
  • Registration
  • Ekachakra
  • Devaki dd
  • Diary
  • Recordings
  • Photos
  • Testimonials

Drawing devotion from our stone-like heart

6/25/2021

 
Time is flying, and even though one month has passed since we celebrated Nrsimha Caturdasi, I nevertheless want to share some impressions and pictures of this wonderful highlight during the month of May....
Picture
In Simhachalam, Nrsimha Caturdasi is always a 3- to 4-day event; Lord Nrsimhadeva receives all kinds of amazing offerings and arrangements for His satisfaction and pleasure: several stunning outfits very unique to Simhachalam which are not offered anywhere else in the world. Since Lord Nrsimhadeva likes to be in the forest, He always receives the so-called "forest outfit." And the last special darshan to be seen is when He appears - shortly before 9pm on His appearance day. On this auspicious day He also receives a most elaborate abhishek with all kinds of special arrangements: a banana pack (His body being covered with bananas), a garland made from donuts, tomatoes and lemons to mention a few...
​
Picture
To prepare my heart for the joyous event, I like to meditate on making festive decorations in the temple room and beautiful flower arrangements for the altar and Srila Prabhupada's Vyasasana. The deeper the mind is absorbed in such meditation and planning, the more we can feel bhakti growing in our heart. And after all, this is the goal of Vaishnava festivals: to draw devotion from our stone-like hearts....
​
Since the temple room in Simhachalam is rather dark, we purchased a lot of orange and yellow cloth to decorate the ceiling, along with golden and dark blue paper fans to accentuate the arrangement. It looked very festive and stunning - I heard devotees exclaiming "Wow...!" when entering the temple room for the first time. This is exactly how the temple room decoration should be - producing sounds of amazement in festive anticipation, as if entering the spiritual world....

Picture
Picture
Picture
This is described in the SB. 4.21.1:

"When the King entered his city, it was very beautifully decorated to receive him with pearls, flower garlands, beautiful cloth and golden gates, and the entire city was perfumed with highly fragrant incense.
PURPORT
Real opulence is supplied by natural gifts such as gold, silver, pearls, valuable stones, fresh flowers, trees and silken cloth. Thus the Vedic civilization recommends opulence and decoration with these natural gifts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such opulence immediately changes the condition of the mind, and the entire atmosphere becomes spiritualized. King Prithu's capital was decorated with such highly opulent decorations."

I had the opportunity to go to the flower market and choose many nice flowers and greenery for the vases. And I spent two and half full days making vases - my favorite meditation. I had purchased a series of white porcelain vases in the shape of a conch and a family of swans which beautified the altar and added a special feel.

Flowers are very prominent in the spiritual world - the Lord's associates express their love and devotion by making all kinds of amazing arrangements made from flowers - garments, jewelry and decorations, and even slippers! And resting places, cushions, canopies and blankets are crafted from flowers....
​
Picture
One of the highlights was the traditional sandesh outfit - a very unique offering which I have only ever experienced in Simhachalam! Here, Lord Nrsimhadeva loves sandesh so much that on His birthday He likes to have His body covered by colored sandesh. I was fortunate to participate in making the artistic arrangement - amongst other details His purple dhoti with the yellow paisley patterns was my humble contribution.
​
Picture
Over 4 days we were swimming in an ocean of bliss, serving the Lord in a very personal way, all the while hearing lectures over zoom given by Their Holiness Sacinandana Swami, Krishna Ksetra Swami and Kadamba Kanana Swami. And we were united in melodiously and joyfully chanting Hare Krishna...

We concluded the festive days by swinging Their Lordships Laxmi Nrsimhadeva - something we may consider extraordinary, yet it is rather common in South India...

Your servant, Devaki dd

Comments are closed.

    Devaki Devi Dasi's Travel Diary

    Devaki Devi Dasi is sharing her realizations and adventures in her Traveling Diary.Welcome to relish this nectar!

    Archives

    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.