Friday 1 December 2023 | Kartik Vad 4, Samvat 2080
Fri 1 Dec 2023
Fuldolotsav celebrations took place at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury on Wednesday 8 March 2023, bringing the community together to play Samuh Raas to please Lord Shree Swaminarayanbapa Swamibapa.
Fuldolotsav takes place on the day after Holi, when all over India these events are celebrated by spraying coloured water and powder over one another - representative of the beautiful spring flowers blossoming at this time of year. While there are many ‘paroksh’ myths, legends and histories behind this day, for disciples of the ‘pratyaksh’ Lord Shree Swaminarayan, this festival is all about defeating the internal enemies that would otherwise detract us from our devotion to the Lord.
Disciples young and old danced joyously around the Lord as Swamibapa Orchestra performed a medley of kirtans. As the music steadily sped up, the fervour and joy of everyone dancing built to a crescendo as everyone was lost and engrossed in this unique form of devotion. The faces and even the clothes of everyone were covered with auspicious coloured powder (gulal), symbolic of how we should replace our own worldly inclinations with the divinity of the Lord's colour. The evening concluded with everyone receiving prasad - the entire sabha with exhausted legs but their hearts filled with joy and devotion.
Acharya Shree Jitendriyapriyadasji Swamiji Maharaj is the current spiritual leader of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan. He is the heir to Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj, and sixth in the lineage of ascetic Acharyas, which descends directly from Lord Shree Swaminarayan.