Govinda aala re aala....

First the run. There was no run today - various reasons mostly precipitated by the delightful intervention of the Most Wondrous.

Yesterday was Krishna Janmashtami aka Goinda/Govinda (in Mumbai parlance). Actually Krishna was born at midnight, but let's not quibble about the details.
So Goinda.... I have these great memories of wandering around Chembur as a kid, looking at handis (pots filled with milk and dahi - yogurt/curd) hung high up in the air (from ropes tied to electricity poles or building terraces or the odd tree), adorned with garlands of marigold and other bright flowers, currency notes in plastic packets lined next to the pot and the marvelous human pyramids that went up and collapsed as a little Krishna broke open the pot to get to the dahi. Gulal, abhir in the air making clouds of red, black; rain pouring from the skies; and the loudspeakers blaring "गोविंदा आला रे आला, तेरी मटकी संभाल, ब्रिजबाला".(Govinda aala re aala, teri matki sambhal brijbala) or "आज गोकुळात रंग खेळतो हरि, राधिके जरा जपुन जा तुझ्यां घरी" (Aaj Gokulat rang khelto Hari, Radhike jara japun jaa tuzhya ghari). The roaming groups of Govindas in flower adorned trucks, having finished with the prestigious dahi handis of Lalbag, Parel descending on the suburbs; the small prizes ...typically 101 rupees.


Much has changed. The handis now hang from mechanical cranes, the prize money has gone up to lakhs of rupees, the entertainers - singers, dancers and other enthusiasts on raised platforms, live television telecasts with commentators even explaining the logistics of creating and collapsing the human pyramid, the huge walls of 1000W speakers blaring Brazil or Gasolina or the latest Himesh Reshammiya croon.

What has not changed is the joy and fervour of Govindas as they go from handi to handi, the community's involvement, people's patience with traffic snarls ,and the zhanzha (hand held cymbals) players leaping in the air in step with the rhythmic sounds of the dhol (large drum)and the taasha (Indian kettle drum) . Govinda re Gopala...Govinda aala re aala...