The
sight is strange. As the sun slowly finds its way home into the horizon, one
looks on in wonder as hordes of birds and monkeys make a hasty and a very
visible retreat from the woods. Within minutes, the place is empty.
As the night closes in, a
guard walks out to warn everyone to clear the area.
This
is Nidhivan, a 5 acre forest garden of Tulsi trees near Vrindavan - the fabled
city where lord Krishna is said to have lived thousands of years back. Here the
roots of every two plants are connected and is said to be a form of Krishna and
Radha. What makes these trees stand out is they are all entangled with each
other.
As
the dance of the stars begin in the skies above, they say these trees come to life
every night in the forest. Here Lord
Krishna is said to have Raas Leela with the Gopis till early in the morning.
Legend has it no one is allowed to watch the celestial dance and those break this rule don't live to tell the tale. As a safety measure, the houses overlooking the woods shut their doors and windows in the night. People have said to have heard the melody of Krishna’s
flute diffusing the night in Nidhivan.
In the
day time, the place comes alive with tourists. The guide points out the interconnected
Tulsi plants. The roots seem brittle but the leaves above are lush green.
In middle of Nidhivan, there is a temple
called Rang Mahal. Here, every night, a room is prepared for Radha and Krishna
to rest after their Raas Leela. The same ritual is followed every night. A bed
is made, food and water is put on the table and a traditional 2 tooth brushes are kept. Then
the room is locked. The temple is then vacated and at the next dawn when the doors
of the room are unlocked, the bed is found slept in, the food eaten and
toothbrushes used.
This is
singularly a mystery which goes beyond the realm of myth. TV crews have come here
trying to decode the mystique without any success. They have kept vigil around the
night, hunted for secret passages, checked whether locks tampered with - All in
hope of finding a more rational explanation. Nothing has been found to explain the phenomenon. This is
the closest you get to having proof that god exists in our midst.
My thoughts go back to the
story of Radha and Krishna. Like all great love stories, they were not destined
to be together. After Krishna left
Gokul, he had duties to fulfill and never ever looked back. Though he went on to
marry (a few thousand wives no less), it is said he never forgot Radha. There
is no explanation. Shorn of spiritual connotations, maybe the lesson here is
that love isn’t about being married or being with someone. Love is being
connected from the soul. Who knows ?
Whatever, the story of Nidhivan
brings a smile to my face. I close my eyes and see Krishna - his flute, a peacock feather adorning the head and a serene and compassionate smile. I can almost hear the
faint sound of flute playing accompanied by the soft sound of anklets. My heart
fills with wonder and faith and a song from Lagaan comes to my lips.
"Madhuban mein Jo kanhaiya
kisee gopi se mile,
Kabhee muskaye, kabhee chhede,
kabhee baat kare,
Radha
kaise naa jale, radha kaise naa jale, Aag tan mann me lage, Radha kaise naa jale, radha kaise naa jale....
🪈💐
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