Kusum Sarovara - The Heartbeat of Sri Giriraja

For fifteen days in the month before Kartika the gopis have their Janji festival. 'Janji' are fancy designs made from cowdung. They are decorated with flowers and placed around the door of the house. Each gopi makes her own janji.

One janji festival Radharani saw that all the best flowers around Varsana had already been picked. So She said to Her sakhis (girlfriends).

"Let's go to Kusum-vana (forest) to pick flowers."

The sakhis agreed and off they quickly went. When the gopas received news of the gopis' plans they went directly to tell Krishna.

"The gopis are going to pick flowers at Kusum-vana!", they informed Him, "so let us also go there to graze our cows and calves, and then play some trick on them in revenge for the trouble they caused us."

Krishna agreed to their scheme but, desiring a lila alone with the gopis, He replied.

"I am not going out today. I am feeling sick. You take the cows and claves to graze without Me.

So that day the gopas went out without Krishna; Krishna knowing that they would not go as far as Kusum-vana without Himself there to protect them. Once the gopas had left, Krishna disguised Himself as a 'malli' (gardener) and went alone to Kusum-vana. At Kusum-vana the sakhis began picking flowers, but Radharani's sari became hooked on a thorn tree. When she could not get Herself free, She called for assistance.

"Lalita! Visakha! Indulekha! Rangadevi! Sudevi! Campakalata! Citra! Tungavidya!"

Krishna hearing her calls and thinking She was alone came to her aid. In disguise He unhooked Her sari and walked away. Radharani also walked away and soon met Her sakhis.

"Radharani, where are Your flowers?" they inquired.

"I haven't picked any", replied Radharani.

"My sari got hooked on a thorn tree, and I couldn't free Myself!"

"So how did You get free?" the sakhis asked.

Some person unhooked My sari", She explained, "but in doing so He has hooked My mind."

At that moment Radharani entered a trance and fell to the ground. In anxiety the sakhis picked Her up.

"Let us go back to Varsana", they said. "We have picked enough flowers for all of us!"

"No!" said Radharani. "Let's look for that person who freed me"

To be continued ...