Concept note on Panihati Chira Dahi Festival website

Concept note on Panihati Chira Dahi Festival website DR. S K SETH (DRS Tech)

Panihati Chira Utsav Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu “This land has been sanctified by the feet of Chaitanya. He also worked for the helpless. “…Gandhiji at the Inauguration of Kalasala. At Sodepur Khadi Pratisthan on 02. 01. 1927 Shri Ramkrishna Paramhangshadeb Swami Vivekananda Panihati Mahotsavtala Raghav Bhawan Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is ever present at Panihati Chida Dahi Mahotsav

Pahihati Chira Utsav Ø Panihati Mahotsavtala - Panihati Mahotsav Tala is famous having the footsteps of Sri Chaitanya and Nityananda about 500 years back. Later on, this place was further enriched with footsteps of Sri Ram Krishna Paramahansa (who had high respect of this place and participated in the famous festival of Danda Mahatsava number of times along with his disciples and bhaktas). ØFather of the Nation had visited Mahatsav Tala in 1939 to pay homage to Shri Chaitanna Mahaprabhu. Mahatsavtala Ø Patbari/Raghav Bhawan - Sri Chaitanya halted at Panihati Mohotsavtala Ghat twice, once in A. D. 1515 on his way to Puri and another time when going to Vrindaban from Puri via Gaud. He came here in the month of Kartik and stayed in the house of Raghav Pandit, his disciple. Sri Chaityanya's visit to Raghav Bhawan / Patbari on his way back from Puri to celebrate Chira Dadhi Mahotsav since 1321 B. S. (Ref: West Bengal District Gazetteers – 24 Parganas, Edited By Dr. Barun De, March 1994) Raghav Bhawan / Patbari

Panihati – Chira Utsav Notable Comments of Noble Personalities

Pahihati Chira Utsav There are the famous Asvattha and Bat trees on the bank of the river where Sri Chaitanya and Nityananda supposedly had rested for some time at Mahotsavtala.

Pahihati Chira Utsav Sri Nityananda also came here in A. D. 1516 when he was on a missionary errand for spreading religion of love in Gaud. Raghunath Narayandev, a renowned zamindar of Saptagram met Nityananda under a Bat Tree by the Ganga. On Nityananda's advice, the zamindar distributed chira & curd to the pilgrims assembled there in the month of Jyaishtha of 1517. The festival is celebrated still now and it's called Danda Utsav. (West Bengal District Gazetteers – 24 Parganas, Edited By Dr. Barun De, March 1994) Because of holy footsteps of Shri Chaitanna, Nityananda and subsequent movement, ‘Panihati is a great pilgrim centre of the Vaishnavas. “ “

Shri Chaitanya Visits at Panihati Source : 24 Parganas -Disrict Gazetteers After his initiation by Iswar Puri in 1510, Chaitanya decided to go to Puri and take tip residence there. Chaitanya set out from Santipur and travelled through the east bank of the Bhagirathi on his way to Puri… On his way Chaitanya stopped at several villages and townships…, Kumarhatta or the present Halisahar was his first stop over, since it was the place from where his preceptor Iswar Puri hailed Khardah was his next stop over. Chaitanya's elder contemporary Vaishnava Nityananda lived at this place and his son Virabhadra had established a Vishnu temple there. Chaitanya then stopped at a very populous and prosperous village called Panihati. According to Chaitanyabhagwata, no other village on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi was as populous and prosperous as Panihati in those days. Nityananda came to receive Chaitanya at Panihati, accompanied by Prince Raghunath Goswami of Saptagram was the seat of the local government of south Bengal with a fauzdar stationed there and the modern district of 24 Parganas was under the jurisdiction of the governor of Saptagram. From this account, it becomes apparent that Saptagram was also the seat of a Hindu zamindar called Raja, whose zamindari extended to the east bank of the river, over considerable portions of the present Barakpur Subdivision. Chaitanya‘s next stop over was at Baranagar. There he was the honoured guest of Pandit Sri Raghunath Bhagabatacharjya at his `Patbari'. Chaitanya next halted at the village of Atisara near Barui pur where he hosted by Ananta Pandit (Ananta Pandit's Sripat can still be seen near Baruipur railway station). Chaitanya's last stop in 24 Parganas district was at Chhatrabhog, now a village within the jurisdiction of Mathurapur thana in Diamond Harbour.

Shri Chaitanya trail Barrackpore Sub Division Kunjabati , Khardah Saibona Temple, Khardah Raghav Bhavan, Patbari Panihati Mahotsavtala Sripat Bhawan, Barangar

Danda Mahotsav at Panihati Mahotsavtala Panihati Chida Dahi Utsava The Chida-dadhi Mahotsav, also known as the Chipped Rice Festival of Panihati, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Maha Prabhu. Gaur Netai Mandir, Managed by ISKCON at Mahotsavtala, Panihati This astonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges at Panihati, which is just north of Calcutta. Lord Chaitanya and his associates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Chida dadhi Mahotsav remembers how the Lord mercifully reciprocated with His devotees by arranging, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunatha dasa, to provide an ecstatic feast of yoghurt and chipped rice, along with various other nectar foodstuffs. Under the tree where this pastime of the Lord Chaitanya took place… Source : http: //www. visitmayapur. com/events/panihat cida dahi utsava, http: //www. salagram. net/parishad 90. htm

Goudia Baishnab Shri Chaitanya Circuit/ River Cruise "Everyone was offered two earthen pots. In one was put chipped rice with condensed milk and in the other chipped rice with yogurt. All the other people sat in groups around the platform. No one could count how many people there were. Each and every one of them was supplied two earthen pots one of chipped rice soaked in yogurt and the other of chipped rice soaked in condensed milk. Some of the brahmanas, not having gotten a place on the platform, went to the bank of the Ganges with their two earthen pots and soaked their chipped rice there. Others, who could not get a place even on the bank of the Ganges, got down into the water and began eating their two kinds of chipped rice. “ (Source : Chaitanyacharitamrta Antya lila, Chapter 6 ) The Chida-dadhi Mahotsav, also known as the Chipped Rice Festival of Panihati, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. This astonishing pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges at Panihati, which is just north of Calcutta. Lord Chaitanya and his associates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Source: http: //www. harekrsna. com/practice/prasadam/feasts/menus/panihati. htm

Panihati Chida-Dadhi Festival • Panihati has a cherished History of Heritage much before Kolkata. • The Heritage Tourism is becoming popular for the Tourists all around the world. • The Panihati Chida Dahi Festival is celebrated not only in Panihati, but other states in India and abroad Like USA, UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Malaysia etc. • In USA, New Atlanta a place is renamed as New Panihati Dham as a mark of holy Panihati. • The ISKCON has a strong Following. “Panihati Chida Dahi Utsav” is held at All ISKCON Centres around the world. • Panihati in that sense may become a focal point of world attention of pilgrimage circuit for the Gaudiya Baishnabs. • There is a possibility of Exchange / experience share of the USA/ other cities. Panihati Chida Dadhi Festival 2015

Gandhiji at Panihati Mahotsavtala Gandhiji at Panihati Mahotsob Tala 18 th Jan 1946

Panihati Chida-Dadhi Festival – Worldwide Observation ISKCON Temple at Mayapur Nizhny Novogorod, Russia New Panihati Dham, Atlanta, USA At Pundarik Dham, Bangladesh Mahatsovtala, Panihati Utsav at Hungary

New Panihati Dham at U. S. A (Atlanta) In memory of very sacred presences of Sri Chaitannya Mahaprobhu and Nittannanda at Panihati leading to Great Danda Mohotsav, Srila Prabhupada called ISKCON Atlanta as “New Panihati Dham” as mark of respect of Panihati as a Holy place. “Srila Prabhupada named the Atlanta temple New Panihati Dhama in 1975. Perhaps it was because we were blessed to have installed the most magnificent and magnanimous Deities in the universe, Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Or maybe, it was because in our humble beginnings, chipped rice and yogurt, the main ingredients in the preparations of the Panihati Festival pots, was a common sight on our plates!” http: //www. e-vedas. com/panihati/history. html Source : www. dandavats. com/? p=12546

Worldwide Celebration of Chida Dadhi Festival of Panihati ISKCON-DESIRE TREE http: //www. iskcondesiretree. net/page/panihati-cida-dahi-utsava ISKCON - DELHI www. iskcondelhi. com/panihati--cida-dahi-festival/ ISKCON - MALAYASIA http: //www. iskconmalaysia. com/events/panihati-cida-dahi-utsava ISKCON Capetown : www. iskconcape. org. za/ISKCON%20 Cape%20 Calendar. aspx ISKCON Adelaide : www. iskconadelaide. com. au/. . . /_68 o 32 cpg 6 coj 8 l 1 h 6 kqj 8 g 3 me 9 imqqbe. . . ISKCON CHENNAI www. iskconchennai. com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Madras. txt ISKCON Birmingham : iskconbirmingham. org/festivals Panihati festival history in Atlanta, USA http: //www. atlantaharekrishnas. com/content/view/32/37

Worldwide Celebration of Chida Dadhi Festival of Panihati • ISKCON has a very big following all over the world ( 300 centres) • Panihati has a special significance at ISKCON Centres and Devotees • The impact of the ISKCON on promotion of Spiritual Cultural Tourism in Bengal has a very big Potential, where Panihati may be the fulcrum Point • The ISKCON at Mayapur – a project of Rs. 450 Cr • ISKCON temples all various places are really impressive and people get an serene environment of Peace and brotherhood • The ISKCON centre at Brindavan foundation stone laying by the Hon’ble President of India ha a project cost of Rs. 400 Cr. • We at Panihati may avail this opportunity for promotion of Panihati Chida Utsav and the place for pilgrimage Tourism Gaur Netai Mandir, Managed by ISKCON at Mahotsavtala, Panihati

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