The Priests and Preceptors of Shri RadhaVallabh Temple have developed through centuries a unique traditional Temple Classical Floral Art that could be witnessed during four months of summer. During this period, this art reaches its climax and could be seen in various types of Floral Architecture, designed and executed by the Temple Priests, to please the Deity and keep the precincts cool and pleasant keeping Him at safe from the dry hot summer spells, these are known as Phool Banglas.
This floral art commences with the ‘Gulab Dol’ (Swing of the Lord prepared from Roses grown which flower during the month of Chaitra) on Chaitra Shukla Ekadashi (11th, day of bright fortnight in the month of Chaitra) till Bhadrapad Shukla Ashtam (8th, day of bright fortnight in the month of Bhadrapad). Renowned Art Historian A.K. Koomaraswamy writes-“with a new beauty of definition, it establishes the classical phase of rich Indian Decorative Floral Art, at once serene and energetic, spiritual and voluptuous, expressive of mood with reference to the theory of ‘Rasa’ and embodiment of charm.
The maestro-Floral Art Architect-Designer of the RadhaVallabh Temple late Goswami Kishorilalji Maharajshri, Teekayat Adhikari had taken this intrinsic classical art to new heights. People of Mathura recall how about nine or ten decades back he was invited, with due respect and honor, to Mathura where under his expert guidance, supervision, and direction 200 yards long, eight yards wide and twelve yards high Floral Bungalow was executed for the Deity of Madanmohan Temple. The sweet fragrance of flowers, used in this floral artistic wizardry, astonished olfactory keenness of the devotee up to two furlongs away. Nearer, they were mesmerized by the beauty of the Floral Arcade transporting them to realm unknown stirring their soul, mind and heart. In these Floral Arcades, fountains of fragrant rose water are operating cooling down the atmosphere. On occasions such Arcades are prepared from the plantain trunks, Khus (a fragrant coolant herbal root grown in the area), and now a days with the ice-slabs also. The floral arcades are decorated with various types of seasonal fruits.
Another most essential part of these floral arcades is the floral garbs and floral ornaments of the Deity, which maestros prepare intricately. This maltose is expert in preparing Floral Boats, Floral Swings, and Floral Beds etc. of the Lord, which are executed during this period.
These Floral arcades arc designed just like a multi-strayed beautiful building, having doors, cornices, windows, and blennies, Verandas, Lattices etc. Various types of fragrant flowers in quintals are used for preparing these arcades which are basically designed primarily by slicing thin bamboo sticks and given shapes according to design, decorating them later with fragrant flowers sewn together by experts by a needle on threads. These experts prepare pitchers (Mangal Ghat), Peacock, Parrot, Cuckoo etc. from flowers also, to decorate these arcades.
Evening blossom in the Temple tradition of the RadhaVallabh Temple with the advent of SANJHI during dark fortnight of Ashwin, commencing right from the Poornima (last day of the bright fortnight) of Bhadrapad. The temple musicians from this day narrate verses of SANJHI at the Temple during evening when the SANJHI is performed in the frontal veranda of the Jag Mohan. SANJHI, the humblest of the humble, and yet the most primary art, is intrinsic to the rituals of the RadhaVallabh Temple.
The temple priests, or their disciples, are expert in the floral art, which is executed for the first ten days with the flowers and for the last five days (from the eleventh day to fifteenth day of dark fortnight) in colored powders.