Dhuleti - Friday 6th & NarNarayan Jayanti - Saturday 7th March

Dhuleti & NarNarayan Jayanti: Falgun Vad Padvo

Dhuleti is celebrated on the day after Holi. People throw colours on each other to express their happiness. Even enemies forget their enmity on this day and join in the gaiety of this festival. Lord Swaminarayan has celebrated Rangotsav (festival of colours) with His saints and devotees on numerous occasions on this day.

 In our Sampraday this day has another significance. It is the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Shree NarNarayan Dev.

The legend has it that there was a demon king. He did very severe austerities and was granted the boon. He asked that he be given one thousand body armours; the armours so strong that to break one armour, somebody who has performed austerity for one hundred year has to fight with him for one hundred years. He now became known as SahastraKunchi (one with thousand armours). Now where would you find such a person? He started to harass Devtas and Brahmins. Devtas approached Bhagwan for help. With this boon even Bhagwan Narayan was perplexed. He found a way. He incarnated Himself in a twin form. Nar and Narayan. Nar would fight SahastraKunchi for hundred years while Narayan did austerity. After hundred years they would swap places. One by one SahastraKunchi lost 999 armours. He now realised that his end is near. He fled and took shelter of the Sun. the Sun asked God not to kill the demon while he is under his protection. Later on SahastraKunchi was born as Karna, the eldest Pandav. Arjun (Nar incarnate) killed Karna during the battle of Kurukshetra.

It was in Badrikaashram where Lord Narayan accepted the curse from Sage Durvasha to return to earth as Lord Swaminarayan. When Lord Swaminarayan started the programme of temple building, He installed the Murtis of NarNarayan Dev in the first temple at Amdavad. For the benefit of Kutch, He installed NarNarayan Dev in Bhuj as well.