— Attachment Content: 25vns1-_KV-Krishna_Janambhumi_temples_to_add_colours_to_Holi_of_Kashi-Mathura.txt —Kashi Vishwanath–Shri Krishna Janamsthal temples add colours to Holi celebrations in Kashi-MathuraRajeev.Dikshit@timesofindia.comVaranasi: Famous for their Lathmar Holi and Rangbhari Ekadashi, Braj and Kashi will embrace each other’s traditions this year.The gift of colour and gulal sent from the KV temple will be offered to ‘Priya-Priyatam’ in Mathura on Rangbhari Ekadashi on Friday, while a special group of ‘Rasiyaras’, which left with the Shri Krishna Janamsthal temple’s gift for Lord Vishwanath, will add colours to celebrations at the KV temple with their ‘Raas’ and ‘Flower Holi’.Amid religious chanting, a showering of flower petals, beats of the dhol and mridang, and chanting of mantras, the vehicle carrying gift materials, including colours, gulal, clothes, fruits, flowers, and also toys, chocolates, and sweets for the Laddu Gopal form of Lord Krishna, was welcomed at Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi on Tuesday evening. Krishna-Janmasthan Seva-Sansthan secretary Kapil Sharma, who led the team of priests in Mathura to welcome the gift, said that, in exchange, a special group of ‘Rasiyaras’ will depart for Kashi from Mathura along with gift materials on Thursday.KV temple Chief Executive Officer Vishwa Bhushan Mishra said that Rangbhari Ekadashi has special significance in the traditions of Kashi and Braj. It is believed that after marrying Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva reaches his abode with her after completion of the rituals of ‘Gauna’ (farewell). People in Kashi celebrate this occasion by reaching the KV temple with movable idols of deities amid massive showering of gulal, while Lathmar Holi is the speciality of Braj.The 2 prime temples of Sanatan are not only exchanging gifts, but a unique confluence of devotion and joy will also be evident, especially in Kashi, when, for the 1st time, a grand celebration of ‘Raas’ and ‘Flower Holi’ will be performed by Braj’s Rasiyaras at the Shivarchanam Dais on the Kashi Vishwanath Dham campus, said Mishra. The temple trust will make proper arrangements for thandai, light refreshments, and cultural programmes for devotees.In view of the mega Rangbhari Ekadashi celebration, officials of the district administration, police, CRPF, NDRF, and temple authorities held a meeting on Tuesday evening and decided to implement security arrangements very strictly, especially to prevent a recurrence of incidents like boundary wall jumping, as took place in past years.Following discussions with the family of the former Mahant, Mishra said only 64 identified persons will be allowed to enter with their palanquin. The palanquin will be duly installed in the sanctum sanctorum according to tradition and customs. A bid to carry mobile phones will make legal action inevitable.
