Spiritual Calendar, 1st-15th January 2012

1st January, 2012: Wishing You a Very Happy 2012

Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra & Subhadra

Bharti and Vikas ji invite everyone for Hari Kirtan on Sunday at 11am. Let us entreat Prabhu ji Jagannath ji to bless us with His grace and be steeped in the love of Sri Radha-Krishna as we participate in this unique sankirtan.

The 'Art of Living' opens a new centre at Gurgaon with the blessing of Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji-Jai Gurudev!

2nd January, 2012: Centenary Celebrations of Sri Sri Radha Baba

Sri Sri Radha Baba

In 1987, highly revered Bobo sent the aunties of Vrindavan, the parikar and me for his darshan.Today we feel truly blessed because we had stayed at Gita Vatika for full one week, in the year 1987.

5th January, 2012: Putrada Ekadashi is celebrated on the eleventh day of Shukla Paksha in the Poush Month.

Lord Vishnu

Rituals: On this day Lord Vishnu is worshipped and one keeps a fast for children. Devotees wake up early in the morning and bathing soon after, worship Lord with due respect. Their children have long lives and childless couples are blessed with a child.

6th January, 201`2 : Shiva Pradosh Fast

Lord Shiva

Pradosh means dusk and this fast is kept for propitiating Lord Shiva. With his blessings all desires are fulfilled and one attains spiritual enlightenment. Generally people observe the Pradosha Vrata on every trayodashi tithi, (13th lunar day falling in Krishna and Shukla Pakshas) in the evening. The bel patra or leaf of the wood-apple tree represents the three eyes of lord Shiva and the three gunas.

9th January, 2012: Paush Purnima

Hindus Take a Dip in the Triveni Sangam

Paush Purnima is the full moon day of the Poush Month. It is considered very auspicious as the Magh Mela and its Snan starts at the Allahabad, Prayag Triveni Sangam.

Hindus believe that taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam in Allahabad, or any other location of holy rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and Brahmaputra is very auspicious and expiates the sins committed in their lives.The festivals of Shakambari Jayanthi and Shakambari Purnima are celebrated on Paush Purnima and it is the last day of Paush Navratras.

12th January, 2012: Ganesh Chatuthi

Lord Ganesha

Ganesha, the foremost god of the Hindu pantheon is beheld as the most auspicious God of new beginnings and widely worshipped as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Devotees who intend to observe a fast on Ganesha Chaturthi, wake up early in the morning and take a bath. After wearing laundered clothes, they head towards the nearest temple or perform a small puja at their home, offering prayers to the deity.

12^th January, 2012: Swami Vivekananda Jayanti

Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda (January 12, 1863–July 4, 1902),was the chief disciple of the 19th century Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and founded the Ramakrishna Mission. He introduced the Hindu philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga in Europe and America, and brought Hinduism to the status of a world religion by end of the 19th century. Swami Vivekananda was born in an aristocratic Bengali family of Calcutta in 1863. While searching for someone who could directly demonstrate the reality of God, he came to Ramakrishna and became his disciple. Ramakrishna taught him the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta or non-dualism and that service to man was the most effective worship of God.

13thJanuary, 2012: Lohri

Celebrating Lohri

Punjabis, irrespective of their religion, continue to practice their Punjabi Folk Religion. Respect to the seasons and the natural elements of fire, wind, water and the earth is very important. Lohri is a festival dedicated to the end of the Winter season whereas Teej (known as Teeyan in Punjabi) is dedicated to the rain/Monsoon season and Basant is dedicated to the Spring season.

Over time, people have associated Lohri to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. The central character of most Lohri songs, Dulla Bhatti was a Muslim highway robber who had converted from Sikhism. He lived in Punjab during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Regarded as a hero in Punjab, he robbed the rich and rescued Sikh and Hindu girls being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market of the Middle East. He arranged their marriages to Sikh and Hindu boys with the proper rituals and provided them with dowries. So every other Lohri song express gratitude to Dulla Bhatti.

14th January, 2012: Makar Sankranti or worship of the Sun God।

Worshipping the Sun God

Makar Sankranti is a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India. The movement of the earth from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as the Sun moves into the Capricorn Zodiac it is known as Makar in Hindi.

Bathing in the Ganges on Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is also regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase and any sacred ritual can be sanctified in a Hindu family from this day onwards.Sankranti marks the termination of the winter season and the onset of spring.

At Vrindavan, Rishikesh and Allahabad millions of devotees will take a dip in the holy River Yamuna or the Ganges on this pious day. Invariably they will give charity to the needy .

Bhagwan Surya-Narayan is considered the ancestor of Lord Ram ji and the very first disciple of Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavat Gita and will be worshipped with joyous abandon.

Shri Radha Vallabha Thakurs in Vrindavan

Today a bhoga of khichdi will be offered to Sri Yugal Sarkar or Thakurji particularly at the Radha Vallabh ji Temple at the holy dham of Vrindavan. We must also offer khichdi bhoga to our ishtdev or family deity and liberally donate it to brahmins and the needy.