Chunri Manorath Ritual- A promising way to make the Yamuna wear sari!
Posted on July 29, 2020 by Ghoomophiro
Everyone long learns tales of Krishna and Mathura. Have you ever been to Mathura? It has the divine glimpse of Braj Bhoomi, Govardhan Parvat, and Holy river Yamuna. The Yamuna is worshipped as ‘Pattrani’ to Lord Krishna, and your visit here is incomplete without ‘Yamuna Poojan.’ We will talk here about an interesting ritual done at the Yamuna known as ‘Chunri Manorath’ that makes the Yamuna wear sari by the devotees. People make wishes here and do this manorath after their desires come true. It is a sacred way to worship this holy river.
Chunri Manorath- A unique way in which the Yamuna wear sari
Mathura is famous for its boat ride through the holy river ‘Yamuna.’ Chunri Manorath is a distinct celebration on the bank of the Yamuna to thank the Goddess Yamuna. Some people also follow rituals as they have a firm belief in the power of the water goddess.
What is Chuni Manorath?
Hindu meaning of manorath is a wish. Chunri is a traditional scarf of Indian women, which they adorn on festivals or auspicious occasions. No weddings, engagements, or baby shower is complete in India without a chunri. It’s a symbol of divine feminism that portrays the real gist of our grandeur and majesty of women here. People perform ‘Yamuna Poojan’ at the banks of this river, and they are often told to make a wish by ‘Pandits’ as the belief is everything you ask here gets accomplished. As a result, people with contended heart visit here from throughout the country to perform ‘Chuni Manorath’ Ritual when the river Yamuna wear sari.
Depending on your budget and the grandeur you wish to do, the number of sarees can be bought by you. Families collectively perform this ritual by collective movement in a line of boats from one side of the bank to another. Proper rituals and celebrations make an auspicious atmosphere that is sacred and embark on the liveliness and purity of this holy river. Beginning with 101 saris, families and devotees also bring up to 400 saris stitched together. People take the huge bundle of colorful and beautiful Indian attire sari through multiple boats, and the whole scene looks like the Yamuna wears a sari. People chant the name of Krishna and Yamuna to please them with holy offerings and devotion. Many families are performing this Chunri Manorath ritual from the past several generations.
Witness the unique ritual depicting the galore of this holy river
You need to hire the Pandit or a Brahmin who can help you perform this ritual with complete conviction and dedication. They provide you a list of ‘Samagri’ that is important for the Poojan, and you need to bring them all up. You can mostly find people all decked up in traditional attires like ‘Chundri’ or ‘Bandhani’ saris and men in authentic Kurta Pyjamas at the banks of Yamuna. It is a real sigh to view. Families come in a huge group as big as 90-100, and a couple starts with the Pooja. On Chunri Manorath ritual, many occasions like birthdays, weddings, or welcome of a new baby
Who does Chunri Manorath Ritual?
Anyone can perform this holy ritual where the Yamuna wears a sari, but people from Gujarat have a firm belief in this. Right from their ancestors, Vaishnavs from Gujarat or Rajasthan, who are also the followers of ‘Pushti Marg’ indulge in this and believe in blessings from this sacred river. The Yamuna is the main deity for them, and priests from Mathura help in the whole process with complete offerings. Popular celebrity and actress MP Hema Malini also underwent this ritual after winning the parliament seat from here. The sight when the long lane of stitched saris crosses the waters and the Yamuna wear sari is divine, and capturing this view can be a moment for a lifetime.
‘Vidhi’ or process of Chunri Manorath
Along the banks of the river, there are small shelters known as ‘Ghats’ where people often sit and start with the ritual to make the Yamuna wear sari. This is big ‘Poojan’ and requires one complete day. However, this is a distinct divine experience that you would cherish for the whole life. Families carry Chunri on heads and wear new clothes to start with Pooja. The sequence includes Ganesh Puja, Matrika Puja, Kalash Puja, and Yamuna Pooja. Two pots that depict Krishna and the Yamuna get decorated like the bride and groom, and then the process where the Yamuna wear sari starts up. Chants with ‘Yamuna Maiyya Ki Jai’ are in the air!
Final words
Although, there’s a lot more about the unique ritual where the Yamuna wear sari like the story behind it and why people have a firm belief for it. There are numerous tales associated with Lord Krishna and Yamuna right from his birth when he crossed the river in the basket. Mathura is a land of Gods, and such rituals add few more stars to its celestial culture that bestows in every moment you spend here!