(5) What is Hindolo utsav?
Ans: After Diwali, perhaps the utsav most adored by children is the month – long festival of Hindola. It occurs during Ashadh and Shravan months. A “Hindolo” is a swing. A small murti of Harikrishna Maharaj, known fondly as “Lalji” (child form of Bhagwan), is placed in a Hindolo. He is then swung by devotees. The person swinging Lalji considers himself as a parent, who lovingly swings his child in a cradle. This form of bhakti is known as vaatsalya bhakti. Every balak loves to swing Thakorji. “Thakorji” is another name commonly used for Bhagwan in a mandir or hindolo (plural-hindola).

Though this may not sound surprising to peple abroad, but Bharat is gifted with a fixed weather system. Therefore the seasons are also fixed. This is most important for farmers. For example, during summer it remains hot, with blue, cloudless skies. There is no rain. Then arrives the monsoon. Farmers can be sure that what they have sown will be taken care of with lots and lots of rain by Bhagwan. So in Bharat everywhere, when the rains arrive, the whole atmosphere changes. It is a time for celebration; to welcome and thank all deities; of rain, of water, of wind, of earth, even the sun and moon. They all help in the healthy growth of crops. Devotees therefore show their gratitude by offering extra bhakti in various different ways. One is Hindola utsav.

Significance of Hindola utsav :
The new rains create a fantastic atmosphere. Birds of all varieties joyfully sing their typical songs. Creatures such as frogs croak and many different insects blast out their different tunes. Such wonderful combinations of sounds and music on land! And in the sky? Thundering, growling and kaleidoscopic lighting! Thrilling conditions for offering bhakti!

Therefore the poet paramhansas of Shriji Maharaj composed kirtans which described all these phenomena of nature, and connected them with Bhagwan swinging in exquisitely decorated hindolas.

The important bhavna (sentiment) of swinging Thakorji is not just fun. The paramhansas tell us to consider our heart as ‘hindolo’. In this ‘hindolo’ we should place Thakorji. But for this we must first purify and decorate “it”.

How? We do this by purifying our daily life, in what we eat, drink, see, speak, touch and think. For this, the Shikshapatri and Swami Bapa’s commands guide us. If we follow these niyams sincerely, our hearts are automatically purified and decorated. Only then would Shriji Maharaj like to swing in such beautiful hearts. Just think for one moment; would We like to swing in a dirty hindolo?