Jhulan Yatra, or the swing festival, is observed in the
Shravan month and begins on the Pavitra Ekadasi and is generally observed for 5
days until Sravan Purnima or Balaram Purnima. In some temples, the Jhulan Yatra
festival is observed only for a day. In other temples, it is celebrated on all
five days from Ekadashi to Poornima.
Of all the sacred places in India, Mathura, Vrindavan, and
Mayapur are most famous for Jhulan Yatra celebrations.During the thirteen days
of Jhulan-from the third day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of
Shravan (July–August) until the full moon night of the month, called Shravan
Purnima, which usually coincides with the Raksha Bandhan festival-thousands of
Krishna devotees throng from around the world to the holy cities of Mathura and
Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, and Mayapur in West Bengal, India. The idols of
Radha and Krishna are taken out from the altar and placed on heavily decked
swings, which are sometimes made of gold and silver. Vrindavan's Banke Bihari
Temple and Radha-Ramana Temple, Mathura's Dwarkadhish temple, and Mayapur's
ISKCON temple are some of the major places where this festival is celebrated in
their greatest grandeur.
The monsoon is very humid, and the temperature is
still high despite plenty of rain. The joy at this time is to find a cool
breeze, as the air is heavy with the humidity of the rains. So the devotees
arrange for the pleasure and satisfaction of Krishna and Srimati Radharani by
placing them on a swing (Jhulan) and creating their own breeze from the motion.
It is a most pleasing and satisfying festival, with
the swings often highly decorated with forest creepers, jasmine (malati) that
has newly blossomed in the season, and streamers of garlands. Sometimes they
use a fine spray of rose water and direct it toward the Divine Couple on the
swing.
2017 Date : 3rd August to 7th
August.
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