Krishna Asthami: Lord Krishna's big day

It’s a widely accepted fact that on birthdays people are more generous than on other days. You can’t blame them; after all, birthdays come only once a year. Hence, the second thing that you’ll hear on your birthday is not “How old are you?” – it comes as a close third – but “When’s the treat?” Read, “You better make it good.” And often, the generosity of a person is benchmarked by how much they can dish out on their birthdays.



It’s as true for gods as it’s for us humans.[break]



Like humans, even gods get extra attention on their birthdays. And for a popular god like Krishna, it looks like the entire womenfolk of Kathmandu has turned out to wish him on his special day. Some lucky dude, ain’t he?



On Krishnasthami, Krishna temples all over the country witness a special business day. Devotees throng the shrines, pray and “offer” their gratitude – often in significant amount of loose change – and return content to their home. Not if you’ve volunteered to queue in Mangal Bazaar. The line runs for miles, orbits the old city center before the devotees can enter the temple where they’ll have to hush, rush and dash like they really mean it. Phew!



Some people might like to give a courtesy call from afar. Thank god, not everyone buys that line of thought. Being the most famous shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna, the Krishna Mandir sees special, divine even, “transaction” on that day. Scores, nay—thousands – of devotees, turn up, asking for the divine “intervention” in their lives.

And much like happiness, their joys spill in on the ancient streets of Patan. Impromptu singing rings are formed, where didis-bahinis sing their hearts out. In tune, which you’d only get if you marry the overtly nasal tones of lok dohari with the soul grabbing slowness of bhajan, they reach out to their deity.





PHOTO: RISHI AMATYA



When the singing reaches their veins, feet start to tap. Hands are raised to the sky. Behold the revelers, dancing to whatsoever tune they can muster. Not so enterprisingly, others are busy praying, their hands folded serenely, they mumble before bowing down and spraying the sky with the vermilion smeared rice grains. Others rush to the devotees descending from main temple premises asking for a petal or two as “prasad” while the rest are just there to take it in.



It’s such a great treat to witness it and to be in Mangal Bazaar on that day. A day of divine proportion and celebration, indeed! It’s what Krishna Asthami is. It’s a day of divine exuberance. And a day like that only comes once every year.



So, Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Krishna!

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