History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.956

v6.c81.956

Instead of the gay and saturnalia-like practices prevalent in many parts of India about Holīkā, Bengal celebrates it by the Dolayātrā. Śūlapāṇi composed thereon a short work called Dolayātrā-viveka⁶¹⁷ The festival should be carried on for five or three days. Before the Full moon of Phālguna, on the 14th at the beginning of night an utsava in honour of Agni is to be celebrated to the east of the maṇḍapa Then an image of Govinda is to be made, it is established in a structure with 16 pillars on a *vedikā* (raised platform) and it is to be bathed with pañcāmṛta and various items of worship are to be offered and seven times the swing on which the image is placed has to be rocked to and fro. Fire kindled on the first day is to be preserved till the days of the festival end. At the end the swing is to be rocked 21 times It is narrated that king Indradyumna started this swing festival in Vṛndāvana. By means of this utsava a man becomes free from all sins Then Śūlapāṇi discusses at some length the exact *tithi*, *prahara* and nakṣatra on which the Dolayātrā is to be performed. Briefly, the conclusion is that Dolayātrā must be performed when the Full Moon tithi is running, whether there is Uttarā-phalgunī-nakṣatra or not⁶¹⁸