Krishna was never a favourite God.
All through childhood, one saw the grand spectacle and celebration of Krishna and love for Him as Delhi was but an extension of Braj bhoomi. His presence was reassuringly all pervasive in that land of Yadavas through each season and turn of season. Even a Rama centric festival like Diwali could not be celebrated without the mandatory Goverdhana Pooja the day after Diwali. And of course the day of His birth was celebrated with gusto- there would be street side tableaux at each corner with intense competition among them for the most elaborate and impressive jhaanki. The kids of the neighbourhood would gather together and bring all manner of goodies with which to decorate their stalls. Cash contributions would also be solicited by the little beggars and by night, each street would have its own little depiction of the birth of Krishna much like the Christian nativity scenes.
But, as I said, Krishna was never considered my favourite God.
Till I became the mother of a baby boy and saw the world in him- divine. When I first saw my baby boy in the Neonatal ICU, he was hooked up to all manner of equipment. Seeing him lying there amidst a huge machine (respirator) this love crazed mum actually saw a little Krishna with the protective hood of a snake over him and a zillion wires and pipes connecting him with the rest of the world.
For six months after my son's birth I was more or less totally confined to the house and in fact to a single room where all I did was to adore my baby, without any distractions of the world. My meals would come in and occasionally some family members (including my daughter!) would peep in. The phone calls would impinge at times and at others, I would step out of the room and the house to make the necessary visits to the doctors. But for all these diversions, I was totally immersed in the love and care of my child, my Krishna. He was my universe and it was in his face I saw ALL. Much like the other love struck mother Yashoda, who saw a miracle in her Krishna.
He may not be my eighth child, the mysterious, dark Krishna. Yet I think of him when and marvel at the significance of eight. The Eighth baby ( to one mother), born in the eighth month, on the eighth day of the dark phase of Sravana, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
May be it is significant, I ponder, that all His favourite snacks are made in the ratio of 8:1 (rice and urad dal)!
Krishna Krishna Krishna!
All through childhood, one saw the grand spectacle and celebration of Krishna and love for Him as Delhi was but an extension of Braj bhoomi. His presence was reassuringly all pervasive in that land of Yadavas through each season and turn of season. Even a Rama centric festival like Diwali could not be celebrated without the mandatory Goverdhana Pooja the day after Diwali. And of course the day of His birth was celebrated with gusto- there would be street side tableaux at each corner with intense competition among them for the most elaborate and impressive jhaanki. The kids of the neighbourhood would gather together and bring all manner of goodies with which to decorate their stalls. Cash contributions would also be solicited by the little beggars and by night, each street would have its own little depiction of the birth of Krishna much like the Christian nativity scenes.
But, as I said, Krishna was never considered my favourite God.
Till I became the mother of a baby boy and saw the world in him- divine. When I first saw my baby boy in the Neonatal ICU, he was hooked up to all manner of equipment. Seeing him lying there amidst a huge machine (respirator) this love crazed mum actually saw a little Krishna with the protective hood of a snake over him and a zillion wires and pipes connecting him with the rest of the world.
For six months after my son's birth I was more or less totally confined to the house and in fact to a single room where all I did was to adore my baby, without any distractions of the world. My meals would come in and occasionally some family members (including my daughter!) would peep in. The phone calls would impinge at times and at others, I would step out of the room and the house to make the necessary visits to the doctors. But for all these diversions, I was totally immersed in the love and care of my child, my Krishna. He was my universe and it was in his face I saw ALL. Much like the other love struck mother Yashoda, who saw a miracle in her Krishna.
He may not be my eighth child, the mysterious, dark Krishna. Yet I think of him when and marvel at the significance of eight. The Eighth baby ( to one mother), born in the eighth month, on the eighth day of the dark phase of Sravana, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
May be it is significant, I ponder, that all His favourite snacks are made in the ratio of 8:1 (rice and urad dal)!
Krishna Krishna Krishna!
11 comments:
Wow, nice one.
For me Gokulashtami meant Dahi-handi, fun :)
Each day, more i get to hear abt him Iam getting to love that kid. I had always considered yur daughter as my eldest daughter, because she was the first kid I got to interact and know through you.
Wow..wonderful post..
I didn't know so many things about Krishnashtami..but you said them in a beautiful way..
Cheers
Ganga
dang! i wish i had posted my comment 27 minutes ago. It was 17 August 8 and 8 :)
HE does happen to be one of my fav Gods - to know that God has fallacy and is as susceptible and accountable for actions is a wonderful thing. God is our own image - therefore we manifest as he does.
i do (did?) have a friend born on 8 Aug '71....hmmm
Hi Prithi,
Thanks for your take on Gokulashtami- yes, the image of the dahi handi hanging high is one of the typical images. I could not conjure it as I have never witnessed it, not the usual celebration in Delhi, you know. :)
Hi Chitra, I love them too! :)
Ganga,
Hey, hope you learnt much and actually participate in the preparation of Krishna's favourite buttery stuff next time! :p
Hi Atul!
I do like Krishna muchly - faults and all, though it took some time to unfold. :)
Nice post! The joys of motherhood, and boy you are lucky, who were these good angels who cooked for you and fed you right through your first six months..;) Have you read Malgudi Days - Swami and Friends - the Eng teacher reviles Krishna - as the chap who dances with girls and drinks booze...words to that effect. tsk tsk, but he is by far the god who has the most fun!
hi my first time here (got here thru gangadhar's blog)
:)...this post made me smile...a lot!
made me wanna kiss my son (leavin him wid a confused luk!) and hugg him...!
Vedant here luvss dahi...no meal is complete widout it:)...
glad i got here:)
tc...will be back fr sure!
Hi Mello,
The 'angel' who cooked for me was a maid who followed me around for about 10 years till I had to give her a golden handshake!!! Yeah, an angel, she was :)
Hi Ishita,
Welcome - I was a milk-curd-butter types too as a kid and ever thereafter! So made sure my kids love it all too :)
govinda govinda goooovindaaaa.....
nice to see that somebuddy else feels same way as i do :-)
Shankari,
I can so relate to the Krishna feeling. My kid bro was Krishna to me (he was born when I was in high school). And now my dark skinned Kamala is Krishni :), as she is pretty adventurous, strong-willed and also has an impish streak.
What a beautiful picture of Yashoda holding Krishna!
Priya.
Ende,
Way to Gooooo! :)
Priya,
Krishni? I thought it is Krishnaa with the extra a- which is just another way of writing Shankari (you know what I mean) :)
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