Govardhan Festival celebrated with all devotional fervor at Bhardwaj Farms by Bipin Sharma
Govardhan festivity was organized with all devotional fervor at the Bhardwaj Farms in Andheria Mod, Vasant Kunj on 12th November, 2015. The credit for organizing this mega scale event goes to Vipin Bhardwaj and Rakesh Sharma who have been organizing this festival since the last 20 years or so. Like every year, this year too, the event witnessed a humongous gathering of people from all walks of life from the adjoining areas as well as other nooks and corners of the city. The religious event was graced by many special dignitaries, local politicians, and dwellers of the area. The ritualistic ceremony was ensued by a scrumptious Bhandara (Prasad) and a riveting cultural program that showcased the rich ancient cultural and ethnic legacy of the country.
Elucidating more on the significance of the festival and the various ritualists, Vipin Bhardwaj, the organizer said, “Govardhan is a famous pilgrimage centre of our country. Govardhan Puja also referred to as the ‘Annakut’ is celebrated to hail the victory of Krishna on Lord Indra (Rain God) when he defeated the latter by lifting the Govardhan hill on one finger to shield the people from the wrath of the Rain God. Govardhan festivity forms an important part of the celebrations of Diwali. This custom is celebrated on the first lunar day of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik. As a symbolic gesture, a mountain of food on this day is adorned that epitomizes the Govardhan mountain.”
Amongst the distinguished personalities that graced the event were South Delhi constituency MP Ramesh Bidhuri, Vijay Singh Lochav (former MLA), Satbir Singh (ex-Delhi mayor), councilor Pushpa Singh, Naresh Yadav (MLA Mehrauli constituency) etc. Besides, priest families of Kalkaji Temple and other temples too fervently participated in the festival.
“The organizers have been doing a commendable job in not only preserving and showcasing the rich customs and traditions of our Motherland, but have also been playing a pivotal role in community bonding by organizing Govardhan Festival year after year with all pomp and show. In today’s fast paced and extremely stressful lifestyle, the age old concepts of community bonding are slowly waning. Govardhan worshipping at Bhardwaj Farms provides local inhabitants of Vasant Kunj, Kishangarh, Mahipalpur, Mehrauli a good opportunity to bond with each other, and thus consolidate their bonhomie. Camaraderie among fellow residents is extremely vital in the prevalent times for addressing myriad germane issues concerning the society other than the political ones. Though politicians from across the political spectrum register their presence in good numbers in this festivity, there is absolutely no scope for petty political discussions or animosities. Besides the religious significance, festivals like Govardhan are able to allure huge crowds because ample arrangements are made to include varied activities ranging from folk music and art to dance programs which strike an instant chord with the local inhabitants. The mouth watering traditional delicacies makes the event a truly memorable one”, shares Shobha Ballani, a local inhabitant and a special invitee to the event.
Adds Satish Chand Pandey, a priest from Kalkaji Temple, “Local dwellers eagerly wait to be a part of the Govardhan festivity at Bhardwaj Farms as organizers leave no stone unturned in celebrating this ancient Indian festival with all rituals and customs. In fact, Bhardwaj Farms over the years has become synonymous with Govardhan Puja so much that people refer this place to be the venue of religious festivity. The festival of Govardhan is performed with great devotional zeal in places like UP, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Bihar. In some states, there is the custom of building and adorning cow dung hillocks with flowers, which symbolize the Mount Govardhan. The day following Diwali is also celebrated as ‘Vishwakarma Puja’ which happens to be on the first Lunar Night of the Shukla Paksha of the Hindu month of Kartik. Most manufacturing industries remain closed as the tools and equipments are worshipped on this day.”
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