Deity Vishnu embellished with butter in city of Shiva

Varanasi, Nov 5 (UNI) Keeping up the tradition of Marathi speaking population of the riverine localities here, temples of Balaji and Radha-Krishna, belonging to the royal family of Gwalior, saw their idols being embellished with pure butter early this morning.

While the idols at the 142-year-old Radha-Krishna temple at the Mehta Ghat were adorned with five kg butter in various hues as in the past, the black stone Lord Vishnu idol, housed in the three-century-old Balaji temple on the Balaji ghat, also dotting the Ganga river, was embellished with eight kg pure butter after a gap of eight years.

''The dilapidated state of the temple did not permit the performance of traditional rituals for the last couple of years, but following the restoration work at the temple courtsey the efforts of Scindhia family, the "Makhan Shringar" is yet again a reality in this temple after eight years,'' temple priest Sriniwas Gokarna told UNI here.

As the gates of the temple were opened amid the illumination of 'Akash Deep' (customary baskets carrying electric bulbs) dangling on bamboos at the riverfront, the treasured glimpse of Lord Vishnu attired in buttered sartorials triggered a continued trickle of devotees at the temple.

''I never thought that butter embellishment will take place again at the dilapidated temple, but owing to the efforts of the Scindhia family and the Kendriya Dev Deepawali Mahasamiti, the annual ritual performed on Kartika Purnima morning has become a reality again,'' the priest added.

The Balaji temple is the same temple where shehnai legend Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan is believed to have been blessed with the prized 'darshan' of Lord Vishnu while practising at the temple's 'Naubatkhana.' ''We are eagerly awaiting Khan Sahib's musical successor son Naiyyar Hussain this evening to further the magical melody still resonating in the temple,'' Mr Gokarna said.

Ustad Naiyyar Hussain is slated to ignite Dev Deepawali celebrations at the Balaji Ghat through the signature shehnai recital.

While, the butter embellishment became a reality at the Balaji temple after eight years, the same 'Makhan Shringar' was performed by priest Vasudev Bhatt at the Radha-Krishna temple -- also a property of Scindhia Devasthan Trust -- just like in the past.

''The 'Makhan Shringar' as per Maharastrian traditions symbolises the end of the auspicious month of Kartik, when the idols of Radha-Krishna are daily embellished with yoghurt and then distributed among devouts as 'prasad'. On 'Kartik Purnima', the idols are provided with colourful attires made solely out of butter and the next day the pieces of the attire are distributed among the devotees as 'prasad','' said Mr Bhatt, the brother of the priest of the Balaji temple.

While the 'Makhan Shringar' at the Balaji Ghat saw idol of Balaji being given an attire carved out of white butter, the idols of Radha-Krishna at Mehta Ghat were given colourful clothes.

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