Gwalior. Lord Krishna’s birth anniversary is being celebrated with pomp and devotion across the country on Friday. Special decorations, bhajan-kirtan and worship are going on in the temples.
On the occasion of Janmashtami, the historical and princely state Gopal Temple of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh is in the headlines due to its royal adornment.
In this historic Gopal temple of Gwalior, on Janmashtami, Radha-Krishna were decorated royally with precious gem-studded jewelery worth about Rs 120 crore.
It is considered one of the most expensive religious adornments in the world. A huge crowd of devotees is gathering to see this special Shringar which happens once a year.
Jewels reached the temple under tight security from bank locker
For the special adornment of the Lord on Janmashtami, historical jewelery was taken out from the bank locker and brought to Gopal Temple amid tight security arrangements.
After reaching the temple, the jewelery was specially cleaned and then Lord Radha-Krishna were beautifully decorated with these jewels adorned with gems.
There was special enthusiasm among the devotees to see these priceless jewellery. Special arrangements were made for security and crowd management in the temple premises.
Jewelery studded with precious stones is special
Gopal Temple of Gwalior was established in the year 1921 by Madhavrao Scindia I, the then ruler of the princely state of Gwalior.
During the princely period, gold and silver utensils and precious jewelery were specially made for the worship and adornment of God. Precious gems like diamond, emerald, ruby, topaz, sapphire and pearl are studded in these jewellery.
On the occasion of Janmashtami, the idols of Radha-Krishna are decorated with these rare ornaments. These include Radharani’s crown studded with topaz, ruby and emerald weighing about three kilos, the royal crown of Lord Krishna, the Panchmadhi necklace made of white pearls and a special necklace of seven strings.
This necklace is said to be studded with 62 real pearls and 55 emeralds. Apart from this, gold earrings, nose ring, kanthi, bangles, bangles and other precious jewelery are also a part of the adornment of the Lord.
Not only this, special utensils of gold and silver are also available for worshiping the Lord. These include perfumes, pitchers, sieves, incense sticks, umbrellas, Niranjani and other puja materials. This collection of the princely period is still a symbol of the rich cultural and religious heritage of Gwalior.
These jewelery are under the supervision of Municipal Corporation since 2007
Before the independence of the country, Lord Radha-Krishna were regularly adorned with these precious jewellery. However, after independence, due to security reasons, these jewelery were kept safe in bank lockers.
Since 2007, these ornaments are under the care of the Municipal Corporation and since then every year on the occasion of Janmashtami, they are taken out from the bank locker and brought to Gopal Temple under special security arrangements.
Special security arrangements are made during Shringa. Heavy police force is deployed in the temple premises and surrounding areas.
Along with uniformed soldiers, policemen in plain clothes also keep an eye on the security arrangements. Senior police officers continuously monitor the entire arrangement.
Devotees wait throughout the year
Devotees wait the whole year to see this divine and majestic adornment that happens only once a year on the occasion of Janmashtami. Long queues of devotees form outside the Gopal temple since morning.
Thousands of devotees come to see this supernatural form of Radha-Krishna and pray for the fulfillment of their wishes. The wonderful confluence of faith, history and royal splendor makes the Gopal Temple of Gwalior different from the Krishna temples across the country.
On the night of Janmashtami, when Radha-Krishna are seen adorned with jewel-studded jewelery worth about Rs 120 crores, this sight becomes not only a darshan for the devotees but also an opportunity to come face to face with the glorious princely heritage of Gwalior.