Simlapal royal family's Chanchar Festival
Sacred Tale of Simlapal : The Divine Abode of Lord Krishna and Balaram It is said that the king of Simlapal, following divine guidance, established a temple for Lord Balaram within his royal palace premises. The stones for the temple were brought from the nearby village of Jorisha . A few months later, the king came to know that Lord Balaram would not stay alone. Therefore, he brought Lord Krishna and installed Him alongside Lord Balaram. Since then, both Krishna and Balaram have been worshiped there together. Chanchar Festival :- The Chanchar Festival is celebrated on the night before Dol Purnima ( Holi ), where idols of Radha-Krishna or Krishna and Balarama are placed on a choudal (a decorated palanquin) and taken on a grand procession around the village or town. Devotees accompany the procession with nama sankirtan (devotional singing), offering prayers and food ( naivedya ) to the deities as they stop in front of each household. It is believed that during this proces...