Krishnani Begane Baro (Oh, Krishna, please come quickly)

 

Krishnani Begane Baro 

                            (Oh, Krishna, please come quickly)

– oh, Krishna, please come quickly!

– Come quickly and show your face!

– with beautiful anklets on your feet, sapphire armlets,

– oh blue-hued one, come with dancing steps!

– wearing a waist band with bells, a ring on your finger,

–round your neck, the Vyjayanti mala,

– (wrapped round your waist) a yellow coloured silk garment from Kashi, holding the flute in your hand.

–the sandal paste applied on your body exudes fragrance.

– you who revealed the whole universe in your mouth to your mother,

– you are the saviour of the world, dear Krishna of our Udupi!

(Composer -Vyaasaraaya, 1460- 1539, Rajguru of King Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara Kingdom, original in Kannada, translation by RSachi, rasikas.org)

    Krishna did come to us, quickly, and wearing beautiful anklets on his feet, armlets, and a golden waistband with a flute in his hand. And, he came under exceptional circumstances.

    New York is a beehive of activity and the Indian Consulate is no different. Soon after arriving in New York in August of 2017, I began a series of lectures in the Consulate called the “New India Lecture Series”, where eminent personalities came to share their vision of New India. It was in one of these lectures that I met Mr. Khan. He came up and introduced himself, sharing with me that he was from Hyderabad and had some familial ties with the Nizam's clan. Our first meeting was certainly not our last. From then on, I saw him regularly at our events, asking questions and sharing his ideas of wisdom. Some people were unhappy with his questions since they stayed the same, no matter the occasion, but I tried to patiently and courteously hear him out. I believe such behaviour prompted him to come up to me one day and tell me of the personal connection he felt with me. In fact, in a show of gratitude, he wanted to give me something which had been with him for years. Though I do not remember my exact response, I must have agreed because he went on to tell me of a Krishna idol he had at home. He felt sad that it was not being worshipped and thus wanted to give it to me. Parting with a promise of this gift, he left the Consulate and I never saw him again.

    Months passed. One day, I noticed a packet lying on my office table. I asked my Secretary what it was and she told me that one Mr Khan had come to hand it over and then left. I opened the packet with great anticipation, and lo and behold! It was the Krishna idol; a carved out of single block of blackstone (which we later learnt of be touchstone or koshti pathor in Bangla) with exquisitely crafted features. I was struck by His beauty. I immediately placed Him on my desk next to a potted plant so that as I worked, I could admire Him every day. For some reason, I did not tell anyone at home about my Krishna.

    One day, as I was working, I looked up at Krishna as I had come to do so regularly. Admiring him, I was once again spellbound by His beauty and decided to take a picture and send it to our family Whatsapp group. Within minutes, my wife was in my office. Slightly emotional, she asked me what her Krishna was doing in my office. She explained that Krishna had come to our home and promptly took Him away. All for the good.

    Not being worshipped and taken care of for years, He had a dishevelled and forlorn look. My wife set about immediately correcting the situation. She performed “Abhishek” (ritual bathing of the deity) with milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar and then applied sandalwood oil on Him. The daily ablutions soon transformed Him and Krishna’s inner radiance surfaced. His eyes were no longer distraught but seemed to overflow with love and compassion. His lips seemed to smile with the happiness and contentment of being home, where he is loved and taken care of. The blemishes on His “skin” due to dryness were now smooth and shining. He seemed to be playing His flute and knowingly (and unknowingly), we now all danced to His tune. The home began to reverberate with the poems of Adi Shankaracharya and many other Saints. He became the talking point of all conversations with guests. Many even came to see Him, and were enthralled by His beauty and the tale of how He came to us.

    Once we came back to India, we took Him to Vrindavan for a few touch ups since He had been neglected for a long time before He came to us. Now He looks the handsomest of all, with a peacock feather adorning his head, pearls decorating his neck, a flute in His hands, a shepherd's staff, and silken robes of His preferred pitambari (yellow) colour. We have also built a small temple for him which He occupies with aplomb for which we have only Mr. Khan to thank.

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