Akshay Trithiya - Chandan Yatra

Akshaya Tritiya - Chandan Yatra The very word Akshaya means “that which never diminishes”. Any service or charity one performs on this day will be paid back many times over. On this day, Sudama gave the Lord a tiny portion of chipped rice and was rewarded with untold opulence. Draupadi was protected by Lord Krishna twice on this day, once when He provided her an unlimited sari at the dice game in return for a tiny piece of cloth, and later, when she needed to provide food for Durvasa muni, the Lord took a single grain from her pot and satisfied the hunger of all the sages. Akshaya Tritiya is the appearance day of Lord Parasurama. Ganga devi also descended to earth on this day. Candana yatra starts on this special day of Akshaya Trithiya which is the third lunar day of the waxing moon of Vaisakha month, and continues for twenty days. Since the month of Vaisakha is very hot , the cooling effect of the sandalwood or chandan is very pleasing to the body of the Lord. Every day hundreds of devotees in ISKCON temple spend some time making sandalwood paste by grinding the wood on a stone grinder. This sandalwood paste is then applied over the deities body to keep the Deities cool during the time of scorching summer. Lord Jagannath had instructed King Indrayumna to perform the ritualistic covering of His idol with sandal wood paste to keep the body cool. Sandalwood paste is applied all over the body of Jagannatha leaving only his two eyes visible. Once the deity of Gopal appeared in Madhvendra Puri's dream and asked him to apply sandalwood paste due to intense heat so Madhavendra Puri brought sandalwoof from Jagannth puri and applied on the deities body. The special occasion of Narasimha Jayanti coincides with the Chandan Yatra. The murtis of Lord Narasimha are also coated generously with sandalwood paste during the duration of Chandan Yatra and special aartis and rituals are held to appease him, and seek his blessings. Lord Sri Krishna The Supreme personality of Godhead is the supreme controller and is not affected by the dualities of material existence. But devotees out of love apply sandalwood over Lord's body.