Every year we celebrate Gokulashtami (birth of Lord Krishna) as a ten day Brahmotsavam (Grand Festival) in the rustic surroundings of Madhurapuri Ashram. Devotees from all over the country gather at the Ashram to participate in this grand event. The first Gokulastami Utsavam was held in the year 1994 and it has now become an Annual Home Festival. This year marked the 7th annual Brahmotsavam celebrations.

Why celebrate 'Utsavams'?

In His 'Upadesa' to Uddava on the path of Bhakthi, Lord Krishna pronounces...

(Srimad Bhagavatham 11th Canto: 11th Chapter - Slokas 36,37,38)

" The follower of Bhakthi marga should,

• discourse on my avatara charitra

• celebrate the kaala(time) of my avatara

• along with other bhakthas conduct utsavas in my temples

• go on pilgrimage to holy places that are mine, observe fast on days such as Ekadasi, Janmashtami and Ramanavami, offer naivedyas, follow the rules as mentioned in the Vedas and Tantras such as the Paancharaatram

• install my idols with faith and sincerity

• through individual or team effort maintain gardens filled with fragrant flowers, fruits and a playground adjacent to my temples.

• celebrate utsavams, individually or in groups, in which dance and music concerts, befitting an emperor, are held"

Sri Swamigal says,

"A good utsavam is one where innumerable Bhagavathars take part to sing the glory of the Lord, day and night, and these Bhagavathars should be well honoured. Premika Varadhan should be decorated with a variety of ornaments, flowers for the devotees to enjoy this enchanting and majestic appearance. The Lord should be taken out in procession on different 'Vaahanams'. The devotees should enjoy and appreciate the festival much more than the Gopikas and Gopas had in Gokulam!"

Well! This is precisely the way Brahmotsavam is conducted, in our Madhurapuri Ashram, in all splendour and glory. The unique feature about this Utsavam is its adherance to Bhagavatha Dharma.

Bhagavatha Dharma constitutes,

• Prabhodhanam - Waking up the Lord

• Unchavruthi - Resorting to live on food provided as alms

• Japa/Paarayana - Repetition of a single name of the Lord/Reading the Bhagavatham

• Katha Shravanam - Listening to the Lord's divine plays

• Kirtanam - Singing the glory of the Lord

• Dolotsavam - Performing the 'sayana utsava' of the Lord

Daily routine: 22-8-2000 to 01-09-2000

6.00 a.m.	Bhagavatha Paaraayanam
7.00 a.m.	Prabhodhanam to Premika Varadan
7.30 a.m.	Go-Puja
8.30 a.m.	Madhuri Sakhi - Premika Varadan - 'purappaadu' (taken in procession) for about a few hundred yards outside the gates of the Ashram. During the 'purappaadu' Bhagavathars sing 'Sampradhaya Bhajan' that begins with Thodayamangalam. While covering the distance between Bhagavatha Bhavanam and the gates, the 'purapaadu' stops at two or three places and in all it takes two hours for it to return.
10.00 a.m.	Sri Swamigal conducts Thirumanjanam to Maha Periyaval's Paaduka/Premika Varadan - Madhuri Sakhi and blesses the devotees with 'theertha prasad'.
12.30 p.m. - 2.30 p.m.	Naama Sankirtanam by Sumanth Bhagavathar and party
4.00 p.m.- 4.30 p.m.	Chanting of: HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE Click here for the melody of Hare Rama
4.40 p.m.- 6.00 p.m.	Discourse by Sri Swamigal on the life histories of Great Bhaktas.
6.00 p.m	Chanting of Vishnu Sahasranamam
7.30 p.m.	'Purapaadu' of Madhuri Sakhi - Premika Varadhan
10.30 p.m.	Divya Naama Sankirtanam
1.00 a.m.	Dolotsavam

While the above had been the general schedule followed, details of events pertaining to a particular day can be had from the following pages.