Revelling in Krishna's Garden - Part I

As a child in Balavihar, I often heard MANY many stories about lord Krishna. I had visualised, Mathura and Vrindavan in my head a million times from the many picture books and always wanted to visit. As a yoga teacher, I often get the opportunity to take people to places that are of cultural and spiritual significance. This year, as I sat on my laptop and pondered where to go. I googled ‘best place to celebrate Holi in India’ and the answer was Vrindavan.I was beyond excited. This was an opportunity for me to see and explore the town through which Krishna ran over 5000 years ago and also share this joy with people I love. So I quickly sent out a message to my students and before we knew it, 25 of us were on our flight to New Delhi.Fom the New Delhi airport, we took a bus and drove first to the sacred city of Mathura. For those of you who don’t know, Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna. This is also the place where Kamsa jailed Krishna’s parents and created an army of demons who would trouble little Krishna all through His childhood.As you approach the city, the landscape slowly transitions from the bustling streets of Delhi to the more serene and spiritual atmosphere of Mathura. The air carries a sense of reverence, with the soft sounds of temple bells and the distant chanting of mantras reverberating everywhere..Upon arriving in Mathura, our first stop was Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Lord Krishna. This sacred site is housed within a grand temple complex that includes the main shrine, and a prison like structure where Krishna is believed to have been born. The aura here is truly divine – pure and playful, as pilgrims from around the world gather to offer prayers and celebrate Krishna's divine incarnation. We got there by 6:00 pm and quickly went in with excitement. The aarti was beautiful and just as we came out, there were a group of people singing such fun bhajans. As we watched, some 20 people from the crowd began dancing to the bhajans. Could we have resisted? Of course not!. All of us joined the dance and soon over 300 people were swaying to the songs on Krishna! What a way to start the trip!.We danced for almost two hours and slowly made our way out of the temple complex, finally taking a moment to notice the temple architecture—golden spires, intricate carvings, and vivid frescoes depicting stories from Krishna's life. But just as one has a last look at the beautiful temple and step outside, you will be accosted by a million local vendors selling religious artifacts, sweets like pedas and Holi-related items such as colored powders..Like all tousists, we stopped here to buy some Pedas for our families. That’s when one of my students noticed a lassi shop nearby and without a pause we went to drink perhaps the most delicious lassi we had in our lives.The shops are small and tiny but they pack a punch with flavour. As we stood drinking our lassi, suddenly I noticed some colour powder on my friend’s shoulder – before I turned to look where it came from, someone threw a handful of pink colour in my direction.In an instant the peace and quiet of the area turns into one of joyful chaos—dhols go off, people are screaming ‘Holi Hai’, children dance in the streets, adults join in the festivities, and the entire city seems to be enveloped in a rainbow. Everyone, regardless of age or background, becomes a part of this joyous celebration..This was truly a sight to see. I had never seen a place where the whole city celebrated together—and today I had witnessed it in the town Krishna was born! We joined in the celebration and threw colours at each other—we laughed and celebrated and after a while made our way down to the Yamuna River to take a boat ride along its tranquil waters. The boat ride offers a different perspective of Mathura—away from the hustle of Holi, you can admire the city's skyline as it glows in the soft, golden light of dusk. The sound of temple bells and chanting fills the air, and the reflection of temples and ghats along the riverbank creates a serene ambience.While cruising on the river, the boatman shared many stories of Lord Krishna's childhood, explaining how he spent his early years in the surrounding villages. The river itself holds a deep connection to Krishna’s life, and it is believed that the divine music of his flute once echoed across these very waters.Whether you're a pilgrim, a history enthusiast, or a curious traveler looking for adventure, Mathura offers something for everyone..To travel is to evolvePierre Bernardo

Revelling in Krishna's Garden - Part I

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