Krsna Phula Dola and Salila Vihara

What are Krsna Phula Dola and Salila Vihara?

Krsna Phula Dola is the festival of Radha and Krishna on a swing of flowers, and Salila Vihara is the festival of Their pastimes in the water. Devotees keep both in the heat of the Indian summer, and in 2027 they fall together on Thursday, 20 May.

Significance

Salila Vihara is held for the pleasure of the Divine Couple, to keep Them cool in the hot season. In Sridhama Mayapur, Sri Sri Radha-Madhava sit in a lotus pond filled with blossoms and tulasi leaves, and each devotee offers a flower while saying one of the 108 names of Radha or Krishna. Phula Dola adds the sweetness of the swing, where Krishna sits among flowers.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees also relished the Lord's water pastimes at Jagannatha Puri, and the Caitanya-caritamrta records one such day:

Boarding a boat in the water of Narendra-sarovara, Lord Govinda performed His water pastimes with all the devotees.

Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 10.42

How to observe it

Offer flowers and fresh tulasi leaves while saying the names of Radha and Krishna, and decorate the altar with flowers and something cooling. To hear of the Lord's water pastimes, read the Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila, chapter 10.

The same date marks the appearance of Sri Sri Radha-Ramana Devaji and of Srinivasa Acarya, and the disappearance of Sri Paramesvari Dasa Thakura. It is a full day of remembering the Lord and His devotees.