Bankabihari pujari fired after giving Krsna cellphone to call Radhika

[Guest guest]

> > The Deities do not get up until 9 am, because it is believed that Banke

> > Bihari has been up until late at night sporting. Mangala-arati is only one

> > day a year in this temple, on Janmasthami.

>

> anyone knows whether this was the original standard in 16th century or it

> has been introduced later on, and from when?

I can't say when it got started, but even Srila Prabhupada told the story of

the fellow who was sleeping outside the door when BH came outside. The Lord saw

him and told him to come along and stand guard while He danced. During the

dance, BH's ankle bell slipped off and this fellow retrieved it thinking to

return it after the dance. He was so enchanted that he forgot about it. After

the dance when BH returned to the temple, He told that fellow to not let anyone

disturb him as He had been dancing all night. When he fell asleep on the steps,

BH put his chadar over him as it was cold out.

 

When the pujaris came in the morning, they found him sleeping under BH's

chadar. Then he refused to let them in and informed them that He had been

dancing all night. But when you do wake him up later this morning, give Him

this ankle bell, it slipped off while He was dancing and I forgot to return it

to Him. When he pulled BH's ankle bell out from his pocket, they were amazed

and till this day, they don't wake up BH till 9am in the summer or 9:30am in

the winter.

 

In service of Srimati Vrinda Devi,

Deena Bandhu dasa