Mathura's famous 'Chhappan Bhog' dedicated to ISRO, India's moon mission

Mathura's famous 'Chhappan Bhog' this year was dedicated to the ISRO and its future endeavours to explore the moon, an officer-bearer of the organising committee said on Friday.

Over a lakh pilgrims were present on the occasion on Thursday, including ISRO scientist K Siddharth and his family, said Murari Agrawal, the founder-president of Sri Giriraj Seva Samiti, which organises the community offering event.

'Chhappan Bhog' -- made with 56 different items -- is a community offering organised to please the deity for the welfare of the society. According to Hindu traditions, such offerings are organised to please lord Krishna during the 'Dwapar' period.

For preparing 21,000 kg "prasadam" (offering) with ghee and other items, cooks from Lucknow, Agra, Hathras, Indore, Ratlam and Madurai were brought, Agarwal said.

"It was a blending of spirituality and innovations made in the scientific world," he said.

'Chhappan Bhog' is part of a three-day programme that began on Tuesday with a 23-km circumambulation around the Govardhan hillock, with lord Krishna on a chariot.

While the 'Maha Abhishekam' of the deity took place on September 11, the 'Chhappan Bhog' was slated for Thursday.

The program concluded with 'aarti' at midnight.