Editing Rukmini (section)

== Worship and festivals ==
[[File:Vitthal - Rakhumai.jpg|thumb|[[Vithoba]] (left) with his consort [[Rakhumai]] at the [[Sion, Mumbai|Sion]] Vitthal temple, [[Mumbai]]|215x215px]]

Rukmini's worship as the consort of [[Krishna]] precedes his association with his other consorts [[Radha]]. According to [[Dineshchandra Sircar|D.C. Sircar]], a sculpture from Paharpur in northern Bengal, attributed to the sixth or seventh century, represents Krishna and his consort, which he concludes is likely Rukmini. Her identification with Radha is rendered unlikely by the historian, since, "we have no undoubted reference to Radha in genuine epigraphic or literary records of an early date".<ref>{{Cite book |first=Dineschandra |last=Sircar |url=http://archive.org/details/Sircar1971 |title=Studies In The Religious Life Of Ancient and Medieval India by Dineschandra Sircar (1971) |date=1971 |pages=51}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |first=Sanātana |last=Gosvāmī |url=http://archive.org/details/sribrhadbhagavat0000sana |title=Śrī Br̥had Bhāgavatāmr̥ta of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī : translated from the original Sanskrit, with a summary of the author's Dig-darśinī commentary |date=2002 |publisher=Los Angeles : Bhaktivedanta Book Trust |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-89213-348-2 |pages=240}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Murdoch |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWcwAQAAMAAJ&dq=sri+vaishnava+rukmini&pg=PA21 |title=The Religious Sects of the Hindus |date=1904 |publisher=Christian Literature Society for India |pages=21 |language=en}}</ref>

Rukmini is mainly worshipped in west and [[south Indian]] states such as [[Gujarat]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]], [[Goa]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]], [[Tamil Nadu]], and [[Kerala]]. Her kingdom, Vidarbha, is believed to be located in present-day Maharashtra. Along with [[Vithoba]] (a regional form of Krishna), Rukmini is worshipped as "Rakhumai" in the [[Pandharpur]] region.<ref name="Pilai">{{Cite book|last=Pillai|first=S. Devadas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P3uD22Ghqs4C&q=vithoba&pg=PA367|title=Indian Sociology Through Ghurye, a Dictionary|date=1997|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7154-807-1|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Shyam">{{Cite book|last=Pattanaik|first=Devdutt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ux1eDwAAQBAJ&q=Rukmini|title=Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata|date=2018-07-01|publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited|isbn=978-93-5305-100-6|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-02 |title=Rukmini Devi Temple: A Sacred Hindu Site in India - Shivrajpur Beach |work=Shivrajpur Beach |url=https://shivrajpur.net/rukmini-devi-temple/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Rukmini is worshipped as the chief goddess in [[Divya Desam]] temples like [[Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple]], [[Parthasarathy Temple, Chennai|Parthasarathy Temple]]; with Krishna being the primary deity.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.academia.edu/12405403 |last=R.K.K. |first=Rajarajan |year=2013|title=Historical sequence of the Vaiṣṇava Divyadeśas. Sacred venues of Viṣṇism|journal=Acta Orientalia |publisher= Acta Orientalia, Societates Orientales Daniica Fennica Norvegia Svecia| volume= 74|pages=37–90|issn=0001-6438}}</ref> She is also worshipped with her co-wife [[Satyabhama]] in temples like [[Thirukkavalampadi]], [[Venugopalaswamy Temple, Karvetinagaram|Venugopalaswamy Temple]] and [[Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi|Rajagopalaswamy Temple]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sri Divya Desams|publisher=Sarva Sastra Maha Vidyalaya|location=[[Coimbatore]]|last=P.M.|first=Neelakrishnan|journal=Ancient Science of Life|pages=193–7|volume=11|issue=3|date=April 1992|pmc=3336602|pmid=22556587}}</ref>

===Festivals===
==== Rukmini Ashtami ====
''Rukmini Ashtami'' is the occasion that celebrates the birth anniversary of Rukmini. It is observed on the eighth day of the waning moon in the Hindu lunar month of ''Pausha'' (December—January on the Common Era calendar). Rukmini is acknowledged with special pujas and rituals in all of the temples dedicated to Krishna, especially those in those parts of India, especially associated with him such as Mathura and Vrindavan.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Melton |first=J. Gordon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lD_2J7W_2hQC&dq=rukmini+worship&pg=PA755 |title=Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations |date=2011-09-13 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-206-7 |pages=755 |language=en}}</ref>

====Vasanthotsavam====
[[Vasanthotsavam]] is an annual Seva celebrated in [[Tirumala]] to celebrate the arrival of spring season.<ref>{{cite book|last=N|first=Ramesan|title=The Tirumala Temple|year=1981|publisher=[[Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams|TTD]]|location=[[Tirupati (city)|Tirupati]]}}</ref> ''Abhishekam'' - specifically called ''Snapana Thirumanjanam'' (Holy bathing), is performed to the utsava murthy and his consorts on all the three days. On the third day, abhishekam is performed to the idols of [[Rama]], [[Sita]], [[Lakshmana]] and [[Hanumana]] along with Krishna and Rukmini. Procession of the consecrated idols are taken in a procession in the evening on all the three days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/12/stories/2006041210620300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060419152327/http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/12/stories/2006041210620300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-04-19|title=Vasanthotsavam begins|date=2006-04-12|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=2008-04-18}}</ref>