Vaishnava devotees mostly celebrates Ras festival. Rasa is the festival of Lord Krishna’s trust in Vaishnavism.
In this special festival, prayers are offered to Radhakrishna with the help of Gopinis. Rasa festival is mentioned in the Puranas. However, there are different opinions in this regard. Many people think that rasa is the union of the soul with God.
Sharad Ras and Vasant Ras are mentioned in the Puranas. Again it is thought that ‘Ras’ comes from ‘Ras’, which is an annual festival of Sanatan Dharmalamambi. A religious festival held in Vaishnava style, modeled on Lord Krishna’s Brajalila. Ras Purnima is also called Kartik Purnima.
In Bengal, the Rasa festival of Lord Chaitanya has been heard for ages. During the later period of King Krishnachandra and Girishchandra, Ras festival became popular in Bengal.
Also, Ras festival is celebrated in various places in Vrindavan, Mathura, Odisha, Assam, Manipur and West Bengal mainly in Nadia, Cooch Behar. According to folklore, the Gopinis’s mind were filled with ego after coming in contact with Sri Krishna.
So Krishna disappeared, making the gopinis realize their mistakes and started singing hymns. As a result, Krishna returned and purified the hearts of the gopinis by explaining the ultimate meaning of human life. Shri Krishna freed the gopinis from worldly miseries by fulfilling all their desires. It is said that this is how the Rush festival came into being.
This year, Guru Nanak’s birthday falls on the day of Ras Purnima i.e. Kartik Purnima. Kartik Purnima is very auspicious according to Hindu religion and astrology.