Mathura's 'Chappan Bhog' dedicated to COVID-19 elimination

"We organize the novel Chhappan Bhog in Goverdhan every year around the Anant Chaturdasi festival for some national or social cause," said Murari Agrawal, the founder-president of Sri Giriraj Seva Samiti, which organises the community offering event. He said last year it was dedicated to ISRO with its future endeavour to explore the moon.

The famous 'Chhappan Bhog' of Mathura this year was dedicated to the eradication of the coronavirus pandemic, an office-bearer of the organizing committee said on Saturday. "We organize the novel Chhappan Bhog in Goverdhan every year around the Anant Chaturdasi festival for some national or social cause," said Murari Agrawal, the founder-president of Sri Giriraj Seva Samiti, which organises the community offering event.

He said last year it was dedicated to ISRO with its future endeavour to explore the moon. Chhappan Bhog' -- made with 56 different items -- is a community offering organised in Goverdhan every year to please the deity for the welfare of the society. According to Hindu traditions, such offerings are organised to please Lord Krishna during the 'Dwapar' period.

The three-day festival this year was curtailed to a two-day festival, owing to the pandemic, officials said. The mass Goverdhan Parikrama or circumambulation of the Goverdhan hillock was postponed due to the COVID-19 situation. Moreover, the 'Abhishek' ceremony was limited to Samiti members.

The two-day programme concluded on Thursday midnight with aarti and mass prayer for the eradication of the pandemic, Agrawal concluded.