The Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi, celebrated the Dol Purnima (Festival of Colours) in the Temple with all gaiety on Saturday, 19th March 2011.
The Birthday tithi of Bhagavan Sri Chaitanya fell on this day. The marble image of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna, photos of Ma Sarada and swamiji and also the photo of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda dancing in ecstatic mood (kept alongside) were tastefully decorated.
From 9.30 a.m. bhajans on Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Sri Radha and other bhajans were rendered in the Temp[le. Many bhajans were sung in chorus led by Swami Gunashrayanandaji. Later, Shri Chandra Nath Mukherjee also rendered bhajans in Hindi and Bengali. Revered Secretary Maharaj came to the Temple at about 10.15 a.m. and also led 3-4 bhajans sung in chorus by all devotees. Shri Ashok Brahmachari accompanied all the singers on Tabla. During the bhajan, a devotee — Shri Debashish Kumar Saha — became so inspired that he started dancing in an ecstatic mood reminiscent of the days of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Later some other devotees also followed him.
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Thus the bhajan programme ended at 12 Noon by uttering ‘jai’ to Sri Sri Thakur, Ma, Swamiji and Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
After the devotees came out of the Temple, Holi tika was given to all devotees by Swami Bhaktirasanandaji Maharaj. A few other devotees also followed him by applying colour tika on the foreheads of others.
After the bhog was over, kichuri prasad, alurdham, chutney, a sweet (laddu) and payas were served to all devotees numbering 250 in plastic plates. In addition, about 50 children who regularly take milk and snacks in the evenings distributed by the Ramakrishna Mission in the park adjacent to the Metro Station where the life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda is located, also attended the bhajan programme in the Temple and took the prasad.
In all, 300 devotees (including children) took prasad on the lawns and about 25 (monastics and volunteers) took the same prasad sitting in the dining hall.
All the devotees present on this auspicious occasion were very happy over the way in which Dol Purnima was successfully celebrated in the Ramakrishna Mission.