Dol Yatra

Dol Purnima, Dol Jatra, Doul Utsav or Deul is a major Holi festival of Braj, Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, Odisha and Assam. This festival is dedicated to Sri Krishna and Radha. It is mainly celebrated by Gopal community of Odisha. On this auspicious day, a deity of Krishna and his beloved Radha, richly adorned and besmeared with colored powder ( Abir. In Brajvasi, Bengali, Odia and Assamese, is taken out in procession in a swinging palanquin, decorated with flowers, leaves, colored clothes and papers. The procession proceeds forward to the accompaniment of music, blaring of conch shells, trumpets made from water buffalo horn and shouts of 'Joy' (Victory) and 'Hôri Bolo' in Odisha. Odia women wash their courtyards with cowdung and decorate with rice powder and flowers. Milk items like home made curd, cream, butter and 'panchamrit' are offered. The people who accompany are offered sweets and drinks. In villages, drinks made of curd are distributed among people and rejoiced by putting Vermillion on each other.

In Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya's Vallabh sampradaya or pushtimarg, Dolotsav is celebrated with very high enthusiasm. The deities of the sampradaya swings in a dol(hindola) and plays with his bhaktas with a variety of colours like Abir, Gulab, Aragaja, Chova etc. The main centre of attraction in Hori-Dol is the temple of Shrinathji, which is considered as the main place of worship for vaishnavas. The same way is also practiced in other sampradayas such as Haridasi, Radhavallabha etc.

The festival is more significant for Bengali sampradaya of Gaudiyas. Because it was the day when the founder of Gaudiya vaishnavism, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu born. He was a great devotee and a philosopher who played an important part in the Bhakti movement.

In Assam, the festival is marked by singing songs, like "''Phaku khele korunamoy''" by the 16th Century Assamese poet Madhavdev, especially at the Barpeta Satra. The 15th century saint, artist and social reformer Srimanta Sankardev celebrated Doul at Bardowa in Nagaon, Assam. The festival also includes playing with colours made usually from flowers traditionally.

Days of celebration

The first day of Dol is known as gondh. In the evening time, the full incarnation of Lord Vishnu, god Krishna become ready to visit Ghunucha's place (Ghunucha is one of Krishna's wives). His followers make a bonfire in front of the kirtan-ghar and with the beat of Vaishnavite drums, cymbals, idol of Krishna carried round the firework and then to the doul. During the festival, all the regular religious functions of kirtan ghar (prayer house) are performed.

The second day of Dol is known as Bhor-Dol, meaning main Dol. Bhor Dol is celebrated for just one day in the month of Chot and two three days in the month of Phalgun. The idols are coloured with faku on this day.

The third day of Dol is also spent in the same manner as that of the second day.

The last and the fourth day of Doul festival is called Sueri. On that day, god Krishna is supposed to go back to the house of mother Lakshmi from the house of Ghunucha. Devotees bring down god Krishna to a palanquin (dola) and carried in a procession. Participation of people from various regions creates a sea of devotees there. In the rhythm of the Vaishnavite drums, cymbals, conches, etc., Holi songs rend the sky. People throw coloured powders to one another. When the procession arrived at kirtan ghar, the gate is blocked with bamboos by the followers of Mother Lakshmi. It is believed that, Mother Lakshmi become angry with her husband god Krishna, because He stayed at Ghunucha's place for all these days. The followers of Mother Lakshmi therefore stop the opposite group from entering her house. But at last, the bamboos are broken and Lord Krishna enters the campus and takes seven round of kirtan ghar. ‘He tires and takes rest for a while. Taking advantage of the peace, a devotee from Lakshmi’s side ‘reproves’ him; one of his devotees returns the reproof. An interesting verbal duel thus ensues. In the end he admits defeat, like a peace loving husband, satisfies her with money and other presents and earns His admittance into the shrine. There ends the great Dol festival’ (Das, 1972:89-90).

Bibliography

*Verma, Vanish (2002). '' Fasts and Festivals of India''. New Delhi: Diamond Pocket Books.
*Bhatt,S. C., Bhargava, Gopal K. (2006
''Land and People of Indian States and Union Territories In 36 Volumes. Orissa · Volume 21''
Kalpaz

References

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Festivals in India
Holi
March observances
Hindu festivals
Bengali festivals