Surdas Jayanti 2023: History, Celebrations And Significance Of This Day

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Surdas Jayanti is celebrated on 25 April in 2023 to mark the birth day of this blind poet/singer and Krishna Devotee. He was a part of the bhakti Movement which he enriched with his contribution of songs and literature. He was a deft hand with both poetry and music. The birthday of Surdas is celebrated as Surdas Jayanti in the Vaishnav calendar, on the Vaishakha Panchami.

Surdas was the one who glorified the crude dialect of Braj Bhasha and gave it a permanent place amongst the literary languages. He was born near Delhi, in 1479 into a poor Brahmin family in Haryana and spent his entire life in Braj bhoomi (Mathura- Vrindavan)

Surdas Jayanti 2023: Overview

Sur means Swar or tune. Surdas means "a person who is slave to tunes or swaras". He was a dedicated devotee who felt the Vatsalya bhava of Devotion towards Krishna. This meant that he saw Krishna as a small cherubic child and showered his love on this form in the way a mother showers her love on her baby. This form of devotion is called Vatsalya bhava which is known as one of the nine bhakti bhavas in the world of spirituality. He mainly wrote in the Brah Bhasha which was the native language of Brindavan.
The sheer neglect and ill treatment by his family due to the reason that he was born blind and hence a liability, induced in him a desire to abandon his home and his parents and he left one fine day in search of Lord Krishna.

His songs contained descriptions of different stages of Krishnas life, his leelas and his childhood exploits.. People in the world of art and music greatly revere Surdas and celebrate his birthday with great pomp as his contribution to poetry and Hindu devotional music were unmatched.

Surdas Jayanti 2023: Celebration

Surdas Jayanti is basically a festival of North India especially in Vrindavan and Braj. On this day, his followers worship Krishna and observe fast for the entire day. Musicians recite his manuscripts and sing his bhajans and kirtans. Surdas Jayanti is celebrated with great pomp in Vrindavan and Braj. Concerts, poetry competitions and musical nights are organized on this day. Braj and Vrindavan is all gaiety and colours every year on this day. There is a tradition of feeding Brahmins on this day.

Surdas Jayanti 2023: Significance

He is best remembered for his work Sur sagar wherein he perceives Radha and Krishna as divine lovers and describes the longing of Gopis. He was heavily inspired by Vallabhacharya whose footsteps he followed closely and his poetry was influenced by the teaching of Vallabha Acharya. He was chief among the eight poets, in the ashram of their master Vallabhacharya. Hence the name ashtachhapa kavis of the Vallabha Sampradaya.

The Vallabha Sampradaya, believes in a personal God and the efforts that have to be put to win Lords grace. He cites Gopis as example for this type of Bhakti where in they saw Krishna as their everything. This is actually termed as Madhurya bhakti bhav. Gopis gave all the importance to Krishna in their lives and left home to see Krishna when he played Flute. Madhurya bhakti bhav is the highest form of Bhakti.

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