Chira Dadhi Mahotsav/ Danda Mahotsav

Chira dadhi Mahotsav or Danda Mahotsav is the festival of mercy. It is all about how and why Lord Nityananda Prabhu bestows his mercy in the form of punishment. It was about 1513-14 AD. There was a village named Panihati on the bank of the Ganges in North 24 Parganas near Sodepur station. Here at the residence of Raghava Pandit Goswami Sri Nityananda Prabhu came.

Raghunatha meets Sri Nityananda Prabhu:

Sri Nityananda Prabhu was sitting on an altar under a banyan tree on the banks of the Ganga. His bodily radiant was like billions of suns. Many devotees were sitting around him. Raghunatha Dasa, the only son of Govardhan Majumdar, the zamindar of Saptagram, came to Panihati to visit Nityananda Prabhu. From a distance, he offered dandavat obeisances to Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

One devotee informed Sri Nityananda Prabhu, that Raghunatha had offered obeisances to Him. Hearing that, Nityananda Prabhu said, ‘O thief, you have come at last. Come, come, I will punish you.” Raghunatha Dasa did not go near Nityananda Prabhu. But Nityananda Prabhu forcibly dragged him close to Himself. Raghunatha Dasa prostrated before Sri Nityananda Prabhu to offer respect. Out of mercy, Lord Nityananda placed lotus feet on his head. He said, ‘You do not come to me and you run away like a thief. I have caught you today. I will punish you.”

Sri Nityananda Prabhu Punishes Sri Raghunath Dasa (Chira Dadhi Mahotsav/ Danda Mahotsav):

Sri Nityananda Prabhu said to Raghunatha Dasa, “Now you have to feed Chira and Dadhi (chipped rice and curd) to my devotees.” Raghunatha Das became very happy. He immediately sent some of the devotees to nearby villages to purchase Chira, curd, milk, sugar, banana, Sandesh, and other paraphernalia. He got four hundred round holana (earthen pot) and arranged them. He brought five or seven huge earthen pots. A brahmin started to soak the chipped rice in the earthen pots. They heated the milk and soaked the chipped rice in it. Curd, sugar, and bananas were mixed in a container. In a separate container, banana, sugar, ghee, and little camphor were mixed with condensed milk. These seven big pots were brought and placed in front of Nityananda Prabhu. Sri Nityananda Prabhu is sitting on the altar, surrounded by His intimate associates.

All the people were sitting in large congregations. Many Brahmins, priests, and pandits came hearing the news of the Chira dahi festival. Sri Nitananda Prabhu seated them on the floor. Everyone was given two pots. One is for Milk Chira and another for Curd Chira. Devotees were sitting together in circles by keeping Nityananda Prabhu in the center. Many Brahmins did not find space on the floor and sat under the table. Many people sat by the water not getting any place. Even there, many did not find a place and went down into the water and tried to keep the holanas floating on the water. Twenty devotees started serving Chira and Dadhi to everyone. No one was eating. Because they desired that  Nityananda Prabhu will start eating first. Then they will follow Him according to His instructions.

The arrival of Shree Raghava Pandit in Chira Dadhi Mahotsav:

Just then Raghav Pandit Goswami arrived there. He was very happy to see the grand festival and started laughing. He also brought various kinds of mahaprasada and said to Nityananda Prabhu, “I have offered food for You at home, and here is the festival! There is a lot maha prasad.” Nityananda Prabhu said, “I will get Prasada in your house at night. I am a Gopa by caste. I am fond of eating in the woods or by the river with these Gopa friends. Get two holanas and have Prasad with us.” Though chira dhadi was served, no one was eating.

The arrival of Mahaprabhu in Chira Dadhi Mahotsava/ Danda Mahotsav:

Nityananda Prabhu invited Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through meditation. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came and Nityananda Prabhu stood up. He started observing everyone’s chira dadhi. He took a handful chira-dadhi from each pot and to took them to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s lotus face. Sri Chaitanya Mahāprabhu smiled gently and tasted the chira-dadhi. He also gave feed chira-dadhi to Nityananda Prabhu.

In this, They started feeding each and smiling together. Nityananda Prabhu went to each circle of the devotees. All the Vaishnavas stood up and witness that pastime. Some lucky ones abled to notice that. Many did not understand what Nityananda Prabhu was doing. Because they could not see Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Then Nityananda Prabhu took the seat and seated Mahaprabhu. Out of great joy, Nityananda Prabhu ordered everyone to chant Harinama and eat. The entire sky got filled with the sound of “Hari Hari”. Nityananda Prabhu started eating. Then the others began to have the food.

Remembering the Pulina Bhojana pastime of Sri Krishna and Balarama:

The assembled Vaishnavas forgot about Panihati or the Bank of Ganges. They thought as if they all were eating together with Sri Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavan on the banks of the Yamuna. Meanwhile, many devotees from far and neighbors came with large quantities of chira, curd, Sandesh, etc. Whatever they brought, Raghunatha Dasa Goswami purchased them at full price and fed them too. Many devotees started coming there to watch the pastime. They were also fed Chira Dadhi and Banana.

Nityananda Prabhu gave the four kundis full of remaining prasada to Raghunatha Goswami. A brahmin took the prasada from the remaining three kundi little and distributed it among devotees. Raghunatha Dasa Goswami also started distributing the remnant Prasada given by Nityananda Prabhu. Then after taking a rest, Sri Nityananda Prabhu started a grand Harinama Sankirtan in the evening. The entire world was filled with ecstatic Nama Sankirtana. Many of them saw Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu dancing with Nityananda Prabhu there. Many could not see Mahaprabhu. They only knew that Mahaprabhu was in Jagannath Puri Dham then. Anyway, all the devotees, including Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, were overwhelmed with joy at that Chira Dadhi Mahotsav or Danda Mahotsav. In memory of this pastime every year on the Shukla Troyodashi Tithi of the month of Ashada, Chira Dadhi Mohotsava or Danda mahotsav is observed under that banyan tree in Panihati.