Hare Krishna Mandir, Bhadaj celebrated Chida – Dahi Mahotsav like every year with grand Palaki Utsav, abhisheka for Their Lordships Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga, followed by a boat festival and distribution of chida-dahi maha-prasadam.
The temple pond was decorated beautifully with colourful flowers floating on its calm ripples. The Deities of Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga (who are non-other than Lord Sri Krishna & Balaram) were carried from the main temple hall to the pond in a palaki decorated with flowers. An abhisheka was performed with milk, curd, ghee, honey, jaggery water and exotic fruit juices. The Deities were also offered a dip in the pond and were offered flowers as part of the Abhishek. The abhisheka was followed by a grand arati, after which the Deities were taken for a boat ride (Nauka Vihar) in the temple pond. Varieties of preparations were made by mixing chipped rice with condensed milk, yogurt, sugar, bananas, mangoes and assorted savouries, just like Raghunatha dasa, one the principal devotees of Lord Chaitanya (who is non-other than Lord Krishna himself) prepared for his devotees at Panihati village near Kolkata 500 years ago. These were then offered to the Deities of Nitai-Gauranga and distributed to the assembled devotees.
