Khatushyamji Birthday: Shyam City Adorned Like a Bride, Know the Story of Barbarik of Mahabharata Becoming Shyam of Kalyug

The birth anniversary of Baba Shyam is being celebrated with great fanfare in Khatu Shyamji. The temple and the town are aglow with lights and reverberating with the chants of devotees. Baba Shyam's birth anniversary will continue for three days.

Khatushyamji: The birth anniversary of Baba Shyam, worshipped as the saviour of the defeated in the Kali Yuga and the charitable Barbarik, is being celebrated on November 1st with immense devotion, faith, and joy. A flood of devotees from across the country and the world has descended upon Khatu Dham. Chants of "Jai Shri Shyam" and "Haare Ke Sahare" are echoing through the temple lanes, as well as from the dharamshalas and guest houses.

The town of Shyam will be immersed in faith, devotion, and merriment for three days. The Shyam Mandir Committee, police, and municipality have been busy finalising arrangements. Meanwhile, local residents have spared no effort in adorning their homes, establishments, dharamshalas, and hotels with electric lights, giving Khatu the appearance of a bride.

Artists from Mathura-Vrindavan have decorated the temple with tableaux featuring conch shells, chakras, tilaks of Shyam Baba, chants of "Haare Ke Sahare," "Jai Shri Shyam," and depictions of Lord Krishna's childhood form, among other themes. Furthermore, most dharamshalas, hotels, and guest houses in Khatunagari are fully booked.

From Barbarik of the Mahabharata to Shyam of the Kali Yuga

According to legend, Baba Shyam is the valiant Barbarik, the grandson of Bhima and the son of Ghatotkacha. With the strength of his three arrows, the entire Mahabharata war could have ended in an instant. When Lord Krishna learned of his vow, Barbarik stated that he would always fight on the side of the vanquished. To uphold righteousness, Krishna then asked for his head as a donation.

Barbarik donated his head, and the Lord bestowed a boon upon him. He declared that in the Kali Yuga, Barbarik would be worshipped by the name of Shyam and would be known as the saviour of the defeated. It is due to this belief that it is said that whoever calls out to Baba Shyam with a true heart finds all their sorrows erased.

The Splendour of the Festival in Khatu Dham

The temple and the town are adorned and ready for the birth anniversary. The main entrance of the temple has been decorated with flowers, and Baba has been specially adorned with silver and gold jewellery. Throughout the day, there will be continuous recitations of bhajans, uninterrupted kirtans, darshan of tableaux, and distribution of prasad.

In the evening, the entire Dham will be illuminated with a canopy of lamps and a special aarti. Devotees will be able to have darshan from afar via LED screens installed in the temple premises and on the main roads. 150 volunteers from the Akhil Bharatiya Swachhta Seva Dal are engaged in keeping the Dham clean. The administration has also made special arrangements for crowd management, parking, and security.

From Kheer-Churma to Cake: The Evolving Tradition of Devotion

Previously, kheer and churma were offered at homes for Baba Shyam's birthday celebrations. However, devotion has now embraced modernity. Devotees will be celebrating Baba's birthday by cutting cakes in their homes, dharamshalas, and hotels.

From children to adults, "Happy Birthday Shyam Baba" will be sung, and bhajan groups will perform with the beat of drums and manjiras. This new form has become a wonderful confluence of faith and celebration. The tradition remains the same; only the expression has changed. Devotees say that Baba's love transcends time; whether the offering is kheer or cake, the sentiment must be true.

Chants Will Resonate Nationally and Internationally

Not just in Khatu, but in Shyam temples across Jaipur, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Surat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, as well as in Dubai, London, and America, special prayers will be held for the birth anniversary. Uninterrupted kirtans, bhajan evenings, and grand Bhandaras (community feasts) will be organised. Devotees who cannot make it to Khatu will be able to have live darshan of Baba on the Sikar Patrika Facebook page.

The Decoration of the Durbar

- Over two dozen artisans from Mathura-Vrindavan are engaged in the decoration work.
- The durbar is decorated with 70% natural and 30% artificial flowers.
- Various flowers including marigold, orchid, calendula, and tuberose are being used.
- Tableaux are prepared using wood, cloth, thermocol, flex, and boutique decorations.
- Devotees will be able to see tableaux of conch shells, chakras, tilaks of Shyam Baba, Radha-Krishna, Bihari Ji, and Bal Gopal.