A God is Born
Mathura, India
Is Krishna, believed to be Vishnu’s eighth avatar, only a part of our mythological past or is he a living reality for a majority of Indians? Perhaps such questions are redundant.
When my grandmother told me bedtime tales from the Indian epics, like any child, I too detested the devious and exalted the divine. The stories were full of valor, courage, fear, joy, pain, death, sacrifice and they were always real. I especially loved the once-upon-a time story of how a god was born in a deep, dark prison, one rainy night, to rid the world from evil.
Once upon a time, a nobleman named Vasudeva married Devaki, a princess from Mathura. After the grand wedding, Devaki’s cousin Kansa, the much feared king of Mathura, affectionately took the reins to drive the newlyweds home. As Kansa raced savagely through the streets, a clear heavenly voice pierced his road rage: “Kansa you shall soon die, at the hands of the eighth son born to Devaki.” Outraged, Kansa turned straight to Devaki, ready to slay her. Vasudeva intervened and promised that if Kansa spared Devaki, Vasudeva would hand over every child born to Devaki to him. Kansa agreed but imprisoned Vasudeva and Devaki. In due time Kansa killed six of Devaki’s children. At the birth of the seventh child the distraught parents attempted a rescue and managed to convey him to Vasudeva’s second wife Rohini. They eagerly awaited the Prophecy, and the birth of their eighth child – he was to be Krishna the Lord incarnate himself. When a god is born, miracles are commonplace.
Finally, amidst heavy rain on the eighth day of the waning moon in the month of Shravan, at the stroke of midnight, the child was born in the Mathura cell. And Vasudeva did manage to save his life by spiriting him away to the home of Yashoda in Gokul – with divine help. The rest was all to be stuff of legends, mythology and maybe history, if you would like to call it that.
A solemn Krishna devotee told me: “The evidence that the child was no normal baby at birth can admit no doubts, after all He was born with all His jewelry.” Despite my normal inclination to be sceptical, in Mathura, I found myself suspending disbelief. And feel the better for it. Surprising, perhaps it’s the spirit of the being that touches all visitors.
The spot which is specifically marked as the Krishna Janambhoomi is on the foundations of Kesava Deo Temple, in a tiny room designed to look like a prison cell. And while you are standing within the confines of the cell all you should do is say a little prayer, like most pilgrims who file past the stone slab on which Krishna is said to have been born. Leave your doubts, if you have any, outside the temple.
In Mathura, India, the birth of this avatar is celebrated with as much exultation as any other major festival in this land. The celebrations at Mathura are planned way in advance. The Kesava Deo temple is heavily decorated in red roses and golden marigolds. Diyas (lamps) are lit all over and radiate a feeling of brightness. The whole drama is reenacted every year at Janamashtami (the festival celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, which falls in the month of August/September). On this auspicious day, the Abhisheka (coronation) ceremony is performed on the deity, who is bathed at the main shrine with milk, honey, ghee (clarified butter), Ganga Jal (water from the river Ganges), oil and dressed as a newborn. The temple is thronged by thousands of devotees who wait eagerly in anticipation of the Lord’s ‘arrival’. There are TV cameras for live coverage of the celebrations for those who cannot be present in person.
While the frenzy builds up with the chanting of the kirtans and bhajans (songs of devotion sung in the praise of lord) with loud rhythmic repetition of “Hare Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Hare…”, the onlookers re-live the glorious birth of the Lord. The jubilation is accompanied by dancing and swinging. Most devotees fast through the day – some do not even consume a single drop of water for this period! But exactly at midnight, as the resonance and reverberations of the temple bells announce the moment of His birth, instead of looking worn out and tired by this hour, the devotees exalt in ecstasy, swooning in absolute bliss, celebrating the arrival of the master, their Lord.
Eventually the fast breaks and before there can be a pause, another series of celebrations begin. The priests distribute prasada (sweets that were offered to the Lord) to all at the temple. There are cradles around the temple with idols of a cherubic Krishna. People rock the cradle and even sing traditional songs to the deity. The rhythm and the ecstasy carries on long into the day.
If you are overcome by this euphoria and wish to take a break, all you need to do is head towards the ghats. There are around 25 ghats in Mathura, the most important one is the Vishram Ghat. This is the place where Krishna is said to have taken a break after killing Kansa. Thus the name Vishram Ghat. Just move along the road on the Vishram Ghat towards the Dwarkadheesh temple and you will find a red four-storey tower called Sati Burj. The tower was built by the son of Behari Mal of Jaipur in 1570 to commemorate his mother’s sati, a few stories were knocked down by Aurangzeb but they have since been rebuilt. For all the legends on the evil Kansa, not to be missed is the Kansa Qila, just around
the corner. The Qila was built by Raja Man Singh of Amber. Or you could get on to one of the boats decorated with colourful flags and take a ride to experience the Yamuna in its calm majesty. Float past, reliving a colourful heritage still tangible in the old buildings lining the river, and the customs and festivals of a unique land. Also recommended is a trip down to Keshi Ghat – great for photo options and views of the Yamuna.
The region around Mathura is dotted with more than 3,000 temples dedicated to Krishna and deities related to him. Various rulers of different dynasties have consecrated shrines and commissioned work for temples dedicated to Krishna at Mathura and Vrindavan, including the great Mughal ruler Akbar, who donated money for the construction of the Govind Deo Temple. Many of these temples still exist, though some may look run down and ravaged by time, but efforts are on to salvage as much as possible by the government authorities and convert them into heritage monuments. Take a good guide to show you a Mathura less-known.
Krishna is indeed a living god. Millions of pilgrims come every year to pay homage at Mathura, Vrindavan or Braj Bhoomi as it is popularly known. Majority of the inhabitants of Braj Bhoomi survive on what these pilgrims spend here to pay homage to Krishna – the one who is their only resource to livelihood should certainly be their living God.
Meeting Holi
Every school-going child in India at some point of time or the other is made to write an essay on the festival of colours, Holi. The major chunk of the festivity includes people throwing watercolour and coloured powder on each other and painting each other’s faces in play. The festival is an obvious favourite among children as well as adults. But what most children don’t learn and are unaware even as they turn into adults is, that the grandest of Holi celebrations and excitement unfurls around the small towns of Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Nandgaon – the Braj Bhoomi region. These towns even have permanent and prominent Holi gates for processions during the festival.
As the Holi celebration climaxes on a full moon day in the month of Phagun (February-March), the small towns and villages of Braj Bhoomi region come alive with a melange of bright reds, greens, blues and yellows. The “playing of Holi” begins a few days prior to the final day of Holi. The popular Charkula dance and Rasiya songs are a part of the Holi festivities. The Holi at Barsana is almost bizarre, if you literally translate what the locals name it “Lathmar holi” (beat with a stick – Holi). The women ‘attack’ the visiting men from neighbouring Nandgaon with colours and sticks while the men defend themselves. It is all done in fun and frolic without really hurting each other. If you wish to celebrate Holi you should anticipate to be covered in dye and colour, and be willing to throw away your clothes, at least until next year’s festival.
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