what a nice b-day

This year, pushpa abhishek (bathing the Deities in flower petals) was on Jan. 16th (my b-day).  The day before, devotees were invited to help create the flower dress for Radha-Madhava.  Timings were from 4 p.m. on the 15th straight through to 6 a.m. on the 16th!  We were there from about 4 p.m. till 10 p.m...late night prasad (tastey kitchari, potatoes, rasgullas and gokula/ginger tea) was served, so we didn't get to sleep till around midnight.

We all (Nitai included) got to help with the flower outfit--we do the same at our home temple, but this was on a massive scale!  We learned a couple cool tricks of the trade to implement back in Portland.  I was so tired that day, from lack of proper sleep.  We were invited to a feast that afternoon and I could hardly keep my eyes open...but when I got inside that room and was handed a glue gun and told, "ok, you take charge of this skirt", all tiredness vanished and I got super into the project.  I was blessed to help with Champakalata's skirt.  Nitai helped a bit on Sudevi's skirt and Bala Nitai was helping everyone all over...

The pushpa abhishek festival was so much fun!  It was on the evening of the 16th.  Thousands upon thousands of flower petals were showered on the Deities, then were rained on the devotees.  We also do this in Portland, but again--this was on a massive scale!

Check out the pics...

early on, just after 4...the skirts are just beginning to get their flowers...

one service the kids did--trim flowers off their stalks into baskets

just a portion of the flower stock

more flower stock (those big baskets are filled!)

all the flowers were attached to the cloth with hot glue

yay!  Champakalat's skirt is finished!  it was used as the model for the rest of the skirts...

Nitai helping out--his job was to squeeze the glue for me

Sri Sri Radha-Madhava ki jaya!!

this is Champakalata, one of the 8 sakis, she stands on Madhava's side...it was her skirt that I was blessed to work on

Jaya Narasimhadeva!!  He always wears this necklace (you can't see it so well in this picture) of 108 silas...They are encased in silver wire cages...

a small portion of the flower petals used in the abhishek

That's Jananivasa prabhu with his arms raised, showering flowers on Radha-Madhava.  The chota deities were in that covered platform in front.

I love this picture--i gave our camera to a friend who was right up on the altar and he snapped this one...note all the flower petals @ Their feet!

Tungavidya, Chitra & Champakalata sakhis 

everyone was covered in flower petals...i'm still finding them in random places like our pockets and my bag...

Nitai had a blast--how often are you encouraged to throw things at people and they are happy when you do?