Mumbai: Around 10,000 diyas or lamps illuminated the Gokul Gopalakrishna temple, Sion East, on Sunday evening which marked Kartik Maas Deepotsava. As the name suggests, the festival of lamps is celebrated on a day in the holy period of Karthika which starts in Deepavali and ends on December 14.
Gokul Gopalakrishna temple, which was inaugurated in May 2011 by the Bombay South Kanara Brahmin Association, is built with stone and wood, taking architectural cues from its counterpart in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. Garbhagudi or the temple's inner sanctum is built of stone while wood panels across the ceiling and doors were crafted by artisans brought from Mangalore. Interestingly, the panel designs intricately depict Krishna’s life. “We wanted a temple in the style of south coastal Karnataka,” said Dr Suresh Rao, president of the Gokul Gopalakrishna Trust.
He added that Deepotsava in spirituality means light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. “During this time families get together to light the lamps and celebrate. It also provides a platform for showcasing the region's art and crafts. After lighting the lamps, there is music, dance and procession of the lord's idol within the temple premises,” he explained.
