Spring is upon us and that means it's time for the Festival of Colors. The Festival of Colors is an annual celebration of the Holi Festival. Holi Festival is an ancient Hindu festival that commemorates Radha Krishna's love as well as the triumph of virtue over evil. The Holi Festival began in India and has now spread throughout the world.
The auspicious festival of Ram Navami (the divine appearance of Lord Ram on this earth) is celebrated on 10th April 2022. I personally don't recall celebrating this festival as a child or teenager. The fondness and memory of any particular festival would be based on if it is ‘powerful’ enough to award a school holiday or can it inspire the family to go shopping.
Saturday, March 19, 2022. The Parade begins at 10:30 AM at the Plaza and returns there by 12 PM. At 1 PM there will be a two-hour procession down St. George Street without the Chariot. Then at 3 PM, the cultural dance & music program begins. The free food will be served out all day from 11 AM onwards. The festival continues until 5 PM
Narottama Dasa Thakura was a leading acharya in the Gaudiya Vaisnava line. He was the only disciple of Srila Lokanatha Gosvami. Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura helped bring the books of the Goswami’s from Vrndavana to Bengal and Orissa.
Lord Nityananda was born in Ekachakra, a small village in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, around the year 1474. He was born to Hadai Ojha and his mother Padmavati. Nityananda Prabhu was born on the auspicious thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of Magha month. As a child, Nitai would love to enact the different pastimes of the Lord. So much so that the entire village would be immersed in the love of Godhead. Once while he played the part of Lakshman and remained unconscious as long the child who was playing the part of Hanuman did not bring the medicine as had happened during the original pastime during Lord Rama's time.
In ancient times there were two brothers named Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. They were demons born to sage Kashyapa Muni. They flaunted uncommon bodily features and had steel-like frames which grew just like mountains. Their bodies became so tall they seemed to kiss the sky with the crests of their golden crowns. They blocked the view in all directions, and while walking shook the earth with their every step.
Today is the day when we honor that personality who has brought the descent of Lord Caitanya into this world Shri Advaita Acarya, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is Mahavishnu, He is the personality who created this entire cosmic manifestation and knowing the purpose of the cosmic manifestations to send everyone back to Godhead that same Mahavishnu incarnated within this material world slightly over five hundred years ago.