Chandana Yatra 2024
Chandana-yatra is a festivity that runs for three weeks. To keep the Deities cool from the scorching heat of the summer sun, the devotees apply sandalwood paste (chandana) over Radha Madhava and the other Deities. All devotees, including children and pilgrims, are offered a chance to grind chandana for the pleasure of the Deities.
On the day of Aksaya Tritiya in Vrindavan, all large Goswami Temple Deities are covered with chandan Paste and not a bit of cloth used to cover the deities in the afternoon.
The festival is also celebrated in our ISKCON Chandigarh temple and it usually continues for 21 Chandan-yatra The Deities are covered completely covered with chandan (sandalwood paste), which provides the Lord relief from the scorching heat of summer in the month of Vaisakha/Jyestha (May/June) with the Sri Vigrahas covered in chandan.
Before and during the festival, ISKCON Chandigarh devotees enthusiastically grind the sandalwood paste for anointing the embodiments of their wonderful Divinities for the Chandan-yatra festival. During Chandan Yatra festival ( 21 days), qualified team of pujaris start to smear with chandan paste since 5.10 am to 7:15 am on their Lordships with pure love and devotion. We all have a wonderful darshan on this auspicious occassion.
