Panihati Festival

The mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be well understood by the divine pastimes He performs. He performs these pastimes to give pleasure to His devotees and the love of His close associates. Panihati Chida Dahi Mahotsav is one such festival which is celebrated to commemorate the meeting of Srila Raghunath Dasa Goswami with Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Interestingly, this festival is also famous as Danda Mahotsava (the festival of punishment). Let us get to know about this unique festival in detail-

 

The origin of the Panihati festival dates back to the 16th century which is celebrated every year on the auspicious day of Shukla Paksha Trayodashi (the thirteenth day of the bright moon) in the month of Jyeshta (May-June). Devotees organise the Panihati Chida Dahi festival, and a grand feast of dahi (yogurt) and chida (flattened rice) is prepared and distributed among all the devotees and visitors.

 

Origin of Panihati Chida Dahi

Raghunath was a wealthy young man who wanted to attain shelter at Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's lotus feet. With great eagerness, he wanted to join Mahaprabhu's ecstatic association and serve Him at Jagannatha Puri. He tried to escape from the confinement of family and material pleasures many times. However, his protective father always found him and failed his attempts to flee from family life. 

 

One day, he learned that Lord Nityananda Prabhu had arrived at Panihati and was accompanied by His close associates and devotees. Raghunath expressed his keen desire to see Lord Nityananda Prabhu to his father. Accompanied by his father's guards to avoid any chances of escape, Raghunath was permitted to receive the Lord's causeless blessings.

 

At Panihati, Raghunath was astonished to see Lord Nityananda Prabhu seated on a rock under a tree on the bank of the Ganges, surrounded by His devotees. His appearance seemed as effulgent as hundreds and thousands of rising suns. A wave of devotion overjoyed Raghunath, and he immediately offered his homage to Prabhu by falling prostrate from a distant place. Meanwhile, one of the devotees directed Raghunath to the Lord. Hearing this, Lord Nityananda Prabhu said, “You are a thief. Now you have come to see Me. Come here, come here. Today, I shall punish you!” He hesitated when the Lord called him and did not go near Him. To which the Lord forcibly caught him and placed His lotus feet upon his head. Lord Nityananda was merciful and playful by nature, He animatedly scolded Raghunath, “You are just like a thief, for instead of coming near, you stay away. Now that I have captured you, I shall punish you. Make a festival and feed all My associates yogurt and chipped rice!”

 

Raghunath was overwhelmed by the opportunity to serve the Lord. He immediately sent his men to the village and brought chipped rice, yogurt, milk, sweetmeats, sugar, bananas and other eatables. Upon learning about the grand impending festival, many brahmanas, visitors and devotees gathered at Panihati. There were countless individuals, and to feed them all Raghunath arranged more food and even purchased two to four hundred round earthen pots. He also brought five to seven large pots, in which brahmanas began soaking chipped rice for the satisfaction of Lord Nityananda. At one place, chipped rice was soaked in warm milk in each large pot, and half of the rice was mixed with yogurt, sugar and bananas. The other half of the rice was mixed with condensed milk, a special type of banana called campa-kala with sugar, clarified butter and camphor. 

 

Lord Nityananda wore new clothes and sat on a raised platform; the brahmanas brought the seven large pots and placed them before Him. Nityananda Prabhu's close associates joined and sat with Him in a circle. Hearing about this festival, many learned scholars, priests, brahmans, and visitors arrived at Panihati. Lord Nityananda Prabhu honoured them and made them sit with Him on the raised platform. Everyone was then offered two earthen pots. One contained chipped rice with condensed milk, and the other pot contained chipped rice with yogurt. There were uncountable people who sat in groups to relish both varieties of chipped rice. Some of the brahmans who did not find a place on the platform and around went to the bank of the Ganges with their two earthen pots. Even when some people failed to get a place on the bank of the Ganges, they got into the water to eat the chipped rice. Twenty men distributed two pots each to everyone sitting on the platform, around it or on the base of the platform and on the banks of the Ganges. 

 

After the chipped rice was served to everyone, Lord Nityananda Prabhu brought Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu there through His meditation. On His arrival, Lord Nityananda Prabhu stood up, and they saw how everyone was enjoying the chipped rice with yogurt and condensed milk. Lord Nityananda went through all the groups, and from every pot, He took one morsel of chipped rice and pushed it into the mouth of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as an act of amusement. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu smiled, took one morsel of chipped rice, and laughed as he made Lord Nityananda eat it too. 

 

Not many people could understand this transcendental pastime, but some who were fortunate could see that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was also present with them. Lord Nityananda Prabhu then smiled and sat down. On His right, He kept four pots of chipped rice that had not been made from boiled paddy.  

 

Lord Nityananda Prabhu offered a place to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and made Him sit down. Then, both the brothers began eating chipped rice together; seeing the sight of Mahaprabhu eating with Him delighted Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and He exhibited various symptoms of ecstatic love. Lord Nityananda Prabhu ordered, “All of you eat, chanting the holy name of Hari.” Immediately, the holy name “Hari, Hari” resounded, filling the entire universe. When the Vaishnavas were chanting the sacred name, they were reminded of the divine pastimes of Lord Krishna and Balarama with Their companions, the cowherd boys, at the bank of river Yamuna. 

 

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu are immensely merciful, and it was Raghunath Dasa's good fortune that they accepted his service. After He finished eating, He gave the four pots of remaining food to Raghunath Dasa, who distributed one morsel to each of the devotees.

After that, a brahmana brought a flower garland and placed it on Nityananda Prabhu’s neck, anointing sandalwood pulp all over His body. One servant brought betel nuts and offered them to Lord Nityananda, which He accepted happily. 

Raghunath Dasa received the blessings

Lord Nityananda Prabhu called Raghunath near Him and said, “As you arranged a feast on the bank of Ganges, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself came here to bless you. And since Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Gaurahari, came here personally to deliver you. Now rest assured that all the impediments meant for your bondage are gone. You will soon receive the golden opportunity to attain shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He will accept your service and appoint you under the charge of His secretary, Svarupa Damodara. Eventually, you will become one of Mahaprabhu's most confidential internal servants.”

 

He further added, “Being assured of this, return to your home.”

 

Upon receiving the instructions from Lord Nityananda Prabhu and His merciful benediction, Raghunath returned to his home. 

 

The Festival of Panihati Mahotsav at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir 

This festival is celebrated worldwide as the Panihati Chida Dahi Festival. It marks the auspicious day of Raghunath Dasa’s meeting with Lord Nityananda Prabhu and narrates the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

The grand event of Panihati Mahotsav includes aarti, elaborate abhishekam, distribution of Chida Dahi prasadam and nauka vihar for Sri Nitai Gauranga, accompanied by melodious sankirtan. There will also be a special lecture on the importance of this festival.

We invite you to participate in the festivities and offer your seva at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir on the auspicious occasion of Panihati Mahotsav.