Banke Bihari Temple: Devotees wait throughout the year to visit Banke Bihari on Sharad Purnima in Vrindavan. For this, people from different parts of the country reach Mathura Vrindavan. On Sharad Purnima, Thakur Banke Bihari appears to the devotees playing the flute in the moonlight in the posture of Maharas. Devotees get such an opportunity only on Sharad Purnima. But, this time due to lunar eclipse the devotees will not be able to have this wonderful darshan of Thakurji in the moonlight night. Now they will have to wait for the next Sharad Purnima night. However, this time Banke Bihari will give darshan to the devotees playing Murli in sunlight instead of moonlight. The full moon of Ashwin month is called Sharad Purnima. In Dwapar Yuga, Lord Shri Krishna performed Maharas with the Gopis on the night of Sharad Purnima. It is believed that on the night of Sharad Purnima, Shri Krishna performs Raasleela with Gopis in Nidhivan of Vrindavan. This is their very favorite day. Actually, on the night of Sharad Purnima, the moon becomes complete with its 16 phases. According to religious belief, nectar rains due to the light of the moon on this night. For this reason, in all the temples including Thakur Banke Bihari, on the night of Sharad Purnima, Thakurji gives darshan to the devotees in the light of the moon, playing Vanshi in the posture of Maharas. This time due to lunar eclipse devotees will not be able to get the benefit of this divine darshan.
Banke Bihari will not be visible during Sutak period due to lunar eclipse on Sharad Purnima.
The last eclipse of this year will take place on Sharad Purnima. This eclipse will be visible in India. Therefore, this eclipse will also be considered as Sutak period. As soon as the Sutak period starts, the pujas are stopped. Devotees are prohibited from entering and worshiping in temples. Therefore, the timing of puja will change in all the temples of the country including Banke Bihari Temple. In fact, on the same day in a year, on Sharad Purnima, Thakur Banke Bihari appears to the devotees in the pale moonlight in the Maharasas posture while playing the Murli. Its devotees wait for the whole year. This time this will not happen due to the lunar eclipse on Sharad Purnima on 28th October. The doors of Banke Bihari Temple will be closed on 28th October at 3.30 pm. In such a situation, the wish of the devotees to have darshan of Banke Bihari in the pale moonlight will not be fulfilled.
Banke Bihari gives darshan in shining white dress on Sharad Purnima
On Sharad Purnima, Thakur Banke Bihari appears in white attire in the white moonlight in the posture of Maharas. Kheer is kept in front of Thakurji, when the moonlight full of sixteen arts falls on this kheer, it becomes like nectar. Its benefits have also been mentioned in Ayurveda. Kept in moonlight is helpful in curing many diseases. This time even kheer will not be kept on the night of Sharad Purnima. According to temple manager Munish Sharma, the darshan timings of the temple have been changed due to the lunar eclipse. In such a situation, he will appear to the devotees till 3.30 pm while playing the flute in the posture of adorable Maharas.
Change in darshan timings of Banke Bihari temple on Sharad Purnima
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On Sharad Purnima, on October 28, the darshan of Rajbhog Seva will open at the scheduled time of 7.45 am.
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After Rajbhog Aarti at 10.55 an hour before noon, the doors of the temple will be closed at 11 o’clock. On normal days, the doors of the temple are closed at 12 noon.
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Similarly, the darshan of evening Shayabhoga service will open at 12.30 pm, which opens at 4.30 pm on normal days.
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The doors of the temple will be closed at 3.30 pm along with Shayan Aarti at 3.25 pm.
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Due to Sutak period, the doors of Thakurji will be closed at 3.30 pm only.
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After this, on October 29, darshan will open at regular time at 7.45 pm only.