Surat. A massive crowd of devotees gathered at the Shri Govardhannathji Haveli located on Dumas Road on Sunday to witness the Chappan Bhog darshan. A large number of devotees from Surat, surrounding areas, and other cities arrived to view the deity Thakorji adorned with an offering of 56 types of delicacies and received the prasad. The entire premises remained immersed in a devotional atmosphere throughout the event.
The members of the Govardhannathji Haveli Trust, along with Hemantbhai, took charge of the arrangements to ensure the event was successful. As per agency report, the well-organized management by the trust allowed the devotees to have darshan in a disciplined manner, for which they expressed their satisfaction regarding the facilities provided.
The foundation of this Haveli, which is associated with the Pushtimargiya tradition, was laid on March 26, 1995, by Param Pujya 108 Shri Vrajratnalalji Maharajshri. This consecration is set to complete 31 years next month. The Lalan Swaroop enshrined in the Haveli is considered the home deity of the late Smt. Shashikalaben Shah, whose inspiration led to the construction of this holy site. Currently, the administration is being handled by the Shri Govardhan Trust, which is a registered charitable trust.
Pushtimarg was established by Shri Vallabhacharyaji, and its service system was determined by Shri Gunsaichiji. In this tradition, the child form of Lord Krishna is worshipped. In the Chappan Bhog ceremony, an offering of 56 types of dishes is made to Thakorji, a practice that holds special significance in the Vaishnav religion.
According to religious belief, Lord Krishna held up the Govardhan mountain for seven days to protect the people of Braj from the wrath of Indra, during which time he did not consume any food. Subsequently, the Gopis offered a total of 56 types of food items, calculated according to eight meals a day for seven days. In memory of this event, the tradition of Chappan Bhog continues to be celebrated with great devotion today.
