Dhwajaarohan at Dwarka Temple & Its Significance
Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!
Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!
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Generally we observe our country’s national flag hoisted on the top of Parliament House, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Assembly Hall, residences of VVIPs, Prime Govt. Offices, National monuments etc… Even the vehicles of VVIPS carry the national flag. We also find important temples and religious places across the country adorned with their own flags. A flag thus hoisted is denoted as a symbol of pride, honour, recognition and prestige of that particular office, or person. In religious parlance, such flag is known as Dhwaja. We find generally, all the temples in Hindu religion have a pillar in front of its Deity known as Dhwaja Sthambam. In olden days, Emperors and Kings used to have their flag on the top of their chariots. In Mahabharata war we find Arjuna’s chariot adorned with a flag having a symbol of Lord Hanuman.
Similar such Dhwaja (flag) we find on the peak of Dwarkadheesh temple, adorned by a unique multi coloured flag, having symbols of Sun and Moon depicted on the flag that keeps waving continuously. Hoisting of flag on the temple top of Dwarkadheesh at Dwarka has a unique significance. Devotees of Dwarkadheesh attach special importance to offering Dhwaja to Dwarkadheesh's Jagat Mandir. Devotees volunteer to offer Dhwaja to the Lord out of faith. This flag or Dhwaja is changed four times in a day and on Thursdays it is changed five times. Booking has to be made three months in advance for performing this ritual.
Several devotees vow to hoist Dhwaja of their own on the Dwarkadheesh temple on fulfillment of their desires. It is a kind of faith, worship and form to offer prayers to the Lord Sri Krishna. It is a form of expressing their gratitude to the Lord by unfurling a new flag on the summit of the temple. It becomes a festival, a religious ritual in the family. A devotee celebrates and performs Dhwajaarohan as per his wish and capacity. He invites his friends and relatives. They ceremonially carry the Dhwaja (flag) on their heads, moves towards Dwarkadheesh temple in a procession, chanting songs and slogans in praise of the Lord. A prayer is offered to Dhwaja traditionally with the help of learned priests. Dhwaja is placed at Lotus feet of Dwarkadheesh with offerings and then it is handed over for hoisting. As an accomplishment of the whole process, the priest throws a coconut from top of the peak to mark the Dhwajaarohan. The pieces of the broken coconut are distributed as the Lord's prasadam. Dwarka Gugali Brahmin Samaj manages this ritual of Dhwajaarohan by the devotees.
Overwhelming response to booking of such Dhwaja speak volumes of faith devotees have in Dwarkadheesh (Lord Sri Krishna). Incidentally, till 1965 only one Dhwaja used to be offered to the Lord in a day. After Dwarka got unscathed despite bombing on Dwarka by the Pakistani Air force during 1965 war, people’s faith in Dwarkadheesh got multiplied. As a result it was decided to have four Dhwaja during the day.
Significance of Dwarkadheesh Flag
Dwarkadheesh's flag (Dhwaja) always fly high. It has a special meaning to the devotees. The worshippers of Dwarkadheesh have a lot to say in praise of hoisting the flag on the peak. In fact, for the devotees it is more than any other family event or a festival.
52 yards of woven cloth is used for making the Dhwaja out of which fifty-two nos. of small flags are made and joined together to make a single flag. Each small flag has its own significance & identity. Each yard indicates the entrance to Dwarka of Sri Krishna’s era and it also symbolizes flags on the residences of fifty-two officers of Dwarka in the ministry of Lord Sri Krishna. These 52 yards symbolizes, fifty entrances (gates) to the palace of Dwarkadheesh Lord Sri Krishna, with each gate having a Dhwaja (flag) besides the two main gates Swarga Dwar & Moksha Dwar of Dwarkadheesh palace.
It is said that the Dhwaja of Dwarkadheesh has a combined significance of Aadibhautik, Aadhyatmik and Aadidaivik elements. Aadibhautik the flag represents the entrances to the palace of Lord Sri Krishna & residences of Yadavas officers. Devotees offering obeisance and devotion to the flag indicates Aadhyatmik element. Dhwaja of Dwarkadheesh indicates its Divine nature. When each yard of cloth is separate and isolated, it is merely a piece of cloth. But when it is tailored to make a Dhwaja, it incarnates the divine nature and becomes an abode of Dwarkadheesh's Aadidaivik swaroopa. The flag that is hoisted is of seven different colours like that of a rainbow with each colour representing for its unique qualities and characteristics.
Dwarka considered as the Mokshapuri, one of the seven most revered pilgrim centers of India, hoisting of flag (Dhwaja) on the temple top of Dwarkadheesh at Dwarka is considered as highly auspicious, sacred, celestial and meritorious. It is believed and said that since Hari- Vishnu–Trivikrama who relieves mankind from the Karma bhandhana always resides at Dwarka, the ritual has gained even spiritual significance. The 52 yards flag waving from the summit of the temple can be seen from a great distance and people believe and consider a glance at it as a holy sight.
Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
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Please look forward for more information on Dwarka Kshetra in the coming posts.
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