Juhlan Yatra 2016

Jhulan Yatra, or the swing festival, is observed in the Shravan month and begins on the Pavitra Ekadasi and is generally observed for 5 days until Sravan Purnima or Balaram Purnima. In some temples, the Jhulan Yatra festival is observed only for a day. In other temples, it is celebrated on all five days from Ekadashi to Poornima.

Of all the sacred places in India, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Mayapur are most famous for Jhulan Yatra celebrations.During the thirteen days of Jhulan-from the third day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Shravan (July�August) until the full moon night of the month, called Shravan Purnima, which usually coincides with the Raksha Bandhan festival-thousands of Krishna devotees throng from around the world to the holy cities of Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, and Mayapur in West Bengal, India. The idols of Radha and Krishna are taken out from the altar and placed on heavily decked swings, which are sometimes made of gold and silver. Vrindavan's Banke Bihari Temple and Radha-Ramana Temple, Mathura's Dwarkadhish temple, and Mayapur's ISKCON temple are some of the major places where this festival is celebrated in their greatest grandeur.

The monsoon is very humid, and the temperature is still high despite plenty of rain. The joy at this time is to find a cool breeze, as the air is heavy with the humidity of the rains. So the devotees arrange for the pleasure and satisfaction of Krishna and Srimati Radharani by placing them on a swing (Jhulan) and creating their own breeze from the motion.

It is a most pleasing and satisfying festival, with the swings often highly decorated with forest creepers, jasmine (malati) that has newly blossomed in the season, and streamers of garlands. Sometimes they use a fine spray of rose water and direct it toward the Divine Couple on the swing.

2016 Date : 14^th August to 18^thAugust.