The First Phase
In the first phase, bhajans are sung and dancing takes place. The Lord and his consort are requested to join in the festival. In Raadha Kalyanam, 'deepa pradakshinam' takes place, that is, devotees circle an oil lamp while singing and dancing. The singing and dancing starts in the evening and goes on into the wee hours. While bhajans are being sung, other bhagavathas dance around an oil lamp. The dancing also involves the re-enactment of the Gopikais' dance. The gopikais' anguish when Krishna leaves them also finds place in the day's events. The bhagavathas who represent the Gopikais dance with enthusiasm, however, after a few songs, they sit down singing Krishna's praise and beg him to come back. However, Krishna does not return until the gopikais surrender to Him.
Read more about this topic: Seetha Kalyanam
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“The Indians feel that each stage is crucial and that the child should be allowed to dwell in each for the appropriate period of time so that every aspect of his being can evolve, just as a plant evolves in the proper time and sequence of the seasons. Otherwise, the child never has a chance to master himself in any one phase of his life.”
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