Shri Mahaprabhuji's Baithakji, Bihar - Info, Timings, Photos, History

The Shri Mahaprabhuji’s Baithakji is a Hindu Baithakji in the city of Hajipur, Bihar, India. The Baithakji is located at Helabazar, Hajipur. It is said to have been built during the reign of the Mahaprabhuji’s era. The Baithakji is looked after by aacharyaji and managed by Vaishnavas Trustees, with full dedication. There are 84 Mahaprabhuji Baithaks in India. Shri Mahaprabhuji graced this earth for 52 years and 2 months during which thrice aapshri toured India barefoot only to spread the principles of Pushtimarg.

Throughout India, the place where Shri Mahaprabhuji during his visits recited and conducted seminars on Srimad Bhagwat is called a Baithak or The seat. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Krishna. Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated with full zeal and enthusiasm. Janmashtami is observed on the Ashtami tithi, the eighth day of the dark half or Krishna Paksha of the month of Shraavana in the Hindu calendar when the Rohini Nakshatra is ascendant. The festival always falls within mid-August to mid-September in the Gregorian calendar. Shri Mahaprabhuji’s Baithakji Hindu Temple in Hajipur, Bihar.

Shri Mahaprabhuji’s Baithakji, Hajipur,Bihar

History
Puja Timings
Festivals
Special Rituals and Preparations
How to Reach
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In today’s times while traveling many a miles to visit a Baithak, performing various duties (sevas) and understanding the importance of them in gathering top priority it is essential that we understand the significance of the same. Shri Mahaprabhuji graced this earth for 52 years during which thrice he toured India barefoot only to spread the principles of Pushtimarg. Conducting Shrimad Bhagwat seminars, debating with scholars and heads of other religions and establishing the ethics of “Shudhadwait Brahmawaad” was a herculean task that he undertook. If we have some prior knowledge regarding the Baithak that we are scheduled to visit, its brief history and its significance etc. it is certain that when we are performing our various tasks there will be a sense of belonging to that place, a sense of the heavenly environment existing at Shri Mahaprabhuji’s time and a divine aroma of Shri Mahaprabhuji’s presence will be felt.

Our eagerness to be at the service of The Lotus Feet of Shri Mahaprabhuji and our concentration towards him, his teachings, his morals is absolutely essential, let it be at the Baithakji or within our homes.

Shri Mahaprabhuji resides as our Acharyaji within a Baithakji. Therefore, the environment within should be of a complimentary one to his nature. Simple, quiet and serene. Evenly hand spread cow dung flooring and the seat where Shri Acharyaji used to be seated while conducting Srimad Bhagwat Sermons; exhales a sense of pure sanctity and purity. Of course due to maintenance problems, the cow dung floorings and seat have been replaced by white marble enabling the devotees to keep the place clean.

The temple is open for devotees from 6.30 AM to 1 PM and from 5 PM to 9.30 PM.

Chambakulam Moolam festival is the major festival celebrated in this temple, in the commemoration of bringing the idol to the temple. Aarattu is the second important festival celebrated in the temple. The festival falls on the auspicious day of Thiruvonam. Many cultural dances can also be seen during the festival.

A new/silk pair of clothes (dhoti and Indian kurta – bandi for gents and saree etc. for ladies).
A cloth body-wrapper for bathing.
A new towel for use after a bath.

The above should be preferably carried in a jute bag enabling one to handle it safely after a bath.

For Shri Acharyaji’s Seva (as per one’s capabilities and desire):-

Raw Sugar. (mishri)
Dry Fruits.
Fresh Fruits.
Dhoti and Uparna (a cloth draped around the neck on the shoulder).
Attar as per the prevailing season.
Dry Kumkum, 2 Kanthis (dry tulsi beads strings).
Jap-mala (optional) and its cover (Gaumukhi, also optional).
Cash offerings at Shri Acharyaji’s lotus feet. (As per individual wish).

“A P R A S” -In simple terms it would mean A-Sparsh meaning not to touch or to be more simplified, not to touch anyone who is not in Apras. Once a vaishnav has a bath inside a baithakji, he is not to touch another person. This is in order to prevent the opposite person’s impure vibrations from entering one’s body and mind.

After bathing in apras (body should be completely soaked with water) and drying yourself, wear the new clothes, adorn the kum-kum vaishnav tilak (an inverted U sign on the forehead), take a pinch of Charanamrut, wash your hands and you are ready to go into Seva. If you are new and cannot do the tilak or for that matter have any difficulty at any stage please do not hesitate to ask. Anyone within the baithakji, in or out of apras will help willingly.

Tasks a devotee can perform:

Sweeping (doing Buhari).
Preparing flowers in a specific place (known as Phool Ghar) for various sevas.
Attending “Doodh Ghar” or a kitchen where items relating to milk are prepared. Grains, oils, and flour products are not made here. They are strictly banned in this area. In this section a complete range of milk products, sweetmeats, fruits and beetal leaf Sevas are performed.

Here a vaishnav in apras can prepare a wide variety of sweets, milk products and arrange them artistically for offerings at the various time of the day. One should definitely bring along the ingredients for the items to be prepared and not expect them to be there at the Baithakji.

Every fruit should be washed, cut into proper shapes, cleaned of seeds etc. and arranged in an attractive fashion. Every item prepared is termed as a Saamagri and should be prepared with love, affection and without a self-desire for consuming the same.

Every care should be taken to see that no foreign particle falls into the ingredients or in the finally prepared Saamagri.

A vaishnav devotee, with the permission with the resident priest (mukhiaji), can also perform the “Kesar Snaan” or bathing Shri Mahaprabhuji with saffron melted in luke warm water. The method of performing the same will be shown by the mukhiaji at that particular Baithakji.
To fill Jhariji.

Chraransparsh

For Charansparsh, firstly, one should apply the Attar on right hands. And then very delicately with right-hand fingers first ask for permission from Shri Acharyaji respectfully and then lovingly touch the left toe and then the right toe and finally the left toe and then bowing down at the Lotus feet of Shri Acharyaji and then touch the fingers to the forehead.

One can also help the other devotees by

Serving them Prasaad/ food at Lunch or Dinner.
After consuming the prasad, cleaning up the place.
When a Vaishnav goes for bathing, one can dry his wet clothes, guide him from one area to another, help him with tilak etc.

By Road

Till date also innumerable Vaishnava travel by rail and road to visit these Baithaks, at times traversing on hazardous roads leading to remotely situated Baithaks in forests and on mountains and take immense divine pleasure in paying respects to Shri Mahaprabhuji and performing any given tasks (Seva).

By Rail

The nearest railhead is the Hajipur Railway station at a distance of 3.4 km from the temple.

By Air

The nearest airport is the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport at a distance of 2.3 km from the temple.