Page 43 - Yearbook 2013update.pub

ma proceeded towards Ayodhya, a huge procession followed Him,
while all the monkeys, appearing in human form, rode elephants.
Men and women, children and the elderly gazed upon Rama as
though they were getting back their lost lives. While waving their
clothes and jumping with excitement, the people shouted, “ Our be-
loved prince has returned! All glories to Lord Rama, the maintainer
of His devotees.” The VCC celebrated the Diwali and Govardana Pu-
ja festival with unprecedented festivities with 108 varieties of offer-
ing for the Lord on November 2 and 3 rd. Annakuta-mahotsava is a
festival commemorating the day when the Lord lifted Govardhana
hill to assure protection to His devotees. The Lord assumed a gigan-
tic form and accepted all the offerings made by His devotees. This
is recounted in Chapters 24, 25, 26 and 27 of the Tenth Canto of
Srimad-Bhagavatam. Pujaris performed an abhisheka ceremony for
Him at noon. An annakuta (“a small hill of rice”) is made and deco-
rated with vegetable carvings, sweets, cakes, sabjis and colored
rice varieties. A miniature form of Govardhana and surrounding
lakes was constructed by devotees.