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Historical Background

This tradition originated in 1822 CE when Bhagwan Swaminarayan consecrated the first stone pinnacled (shikharbaddh) mandir in Amdavad. The Satsangijivanam, a Sanskrit treatise written during His lifetime, advocates chandan adornments to the Lord, beginning on Parshuram Jayanti - on Vaishakh Sud 3, also known as Akha Trij (4/60/50-51).
The sadhus who served as priests, then known as brahmacharis applied and decorated the chandan as an act of worship which simultaneously imbued a cooling effect to the Lord, to circumvent the torrid summer heat, when temperatures hover around 43oC, often soaring to 45oC in Gujarat.
To return to the early 19th century, senior Paramhansas such as Muktanand Swami and Anandanand Swami often offered pujan to Bhagwan Swaminarayan by applying chandan on His forehead as well as over the entire body. The Lord then embraced these Paramhansas to fulfil their devotional sentiments and zeal. The poet Paramhansa Premanand Swami has beautifully versified this glorious sight in a kirtan:
Chandan charchita neelkalevara katitata kasyo pata peeta.
i.e. The Lord's (upper) body, with a dark complexion has been besmeared with chandan and has tied a yellow sash at the waist.

 

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© 1999, Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, Swaminarayan Aksharpith