Varanasi is world famous for annual
celebration of Ram Leela and Krishna Leela. Leela or Lila means an act or
dance. Particular chapters of the Leela have got associated with particular
places in the city. Like, Bharat-Milap (when
Ram returns to Ayodhya and meets his younger brother Bharat) of Naati Imli,
Ravana-dahan (burning the effigy of
Ravana on the tenth day of Dussehra) of RamNagar and Nag Nathaiya of Tulsi
Ghat.
Later, my best friend got us
arranged VIP passes for the world famous Nag Nathaiya. When we reached the
ghat, it was already packed with thousands of people. There was literally no
place to place a foot. Thanks to our passes and the camera we were carrying, we
received a welcome deserved by VIP+Media personnel. We got a place next to
Mahant ji of Shri SankatMochan Hamnuman temple. Following is the description of
Leela with the photographs:
This old city of Varanasi, Banaras or Kasi has lot to say. I feel overwhelmed, every time I try to write something. This time, I am able to write it sooner, and must thank Arti for motivation :) And, due thanks to Ashwini (Kaliya with our own Krishna in above picture) too arrange VIP passes ;)
Would soon be sharing pictures from Subah-e-Banaras and a few of Chatt puja.
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| Krishna and Balram at the Leela |
It’s said that the Leela of
Nag-Nathaiya was started way back in 16th century by Tulsidas. The
tradition is still being followed at the Tulsi Ghat and is being organised by
Tulsi Das Akhada. Tulsi ghat is almost adjacent to famous Assi Ghat. Nag Nathaiya is celebration of young Krishna’s victory over a
gruesome serpent Kaaliya. It is organised on the Chaturthi tithi of Karthik month
of Hindu calendar. This is the fourth day from Diwali and falls in the month of
November-December. Nag Nathaiya basically means 'controlling (Nathaiya-to put a nose ring) a serpent (Nag)'.
Embarrassingly, this was for the
first time I witnessed the Leela, though I have been a city dweller for over 24
years. We got to know about the event two days before the date when we stumbled
upon Krishna Leela on Tulsi Ghat. It was about the chapter from Krishna Leela,
where a young Krishna was ashamed about his ignorance of art of milking a cow.
His friends came forward and taught him how to do it.
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| Sangeet Mandli - The Chorus group |
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| An embarrassed young Krishna |
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| Friends of Krishna planning how to teach Krishna |
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| Krishna learning to milk the cow |
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| An spectator saving the memories :) |
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| A panoramic view of Tulsi Ghat filled with devotees |
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| Balram and Krishna (Krishna-swaroop) Krishna swaroop means the it's Krishna Himself and not just the Actor |
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| Kadamb Tree - Krishna will climb the tree and jump in the River Yamuna (Ganga) |
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| Mahant ji of Shri SankatMochan Hamnuman temple |
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| Notice the Krishna in the Background and Krishna-Swaroop in front (Krishna in background is the Actor, and in foreground is the embodiment of the Krishna) |
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| Krishna-swaroop climbing Kadamb |
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| Krishna-swaroop on the Kadamb |
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| Krishna-swaroop jumping in the Yamuna to bring the ball that he and his friends including Sudama threw into the river, where lies a notorious serpent Kaaliya |
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| Krishna-swaroop fought with the Kaaliya and emerging out of water |
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| A victorius Krishna on to the Kaliya (an effigy propelled by boatmen) |
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| Kashi Naresh watching the procession (As a tradition, Kashi Naresh gifts a golden coin to the actor) |
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| A brahmin doing aarti of Krishna |
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| Krishna-swaroop Darshan |
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| Krishna-swaroop |
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| Balram and Krishna |
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| Our own Krishna on my friend Kaaliya ;) |
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| and this is me :) |
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| Our VIP pass ;) |
Would soon be sharing pictures from Subah-e-Banaras and a few of Chatt puja.
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