Spend one day in Vrindavan
Wake before sunrise on the Yamuna. Steal butter with Kanha's friends, call the cows home with his flute, shelter under Govardhan in Indra's storm, and join the Raas beneath the autumn moon.
Best with sound on. Every scene answers your touch. Or walk the real Vrindavan Parikrama.
Brahma muhurta, 4:30 am, Keshi Ghat
Float a diya on the Yamuna
The temples are still dark, but the conches have begun. Along the ghat, women kneel at the water with little leaf boats, each carrying a ghee lamp. Tap the river to set yours afloat.
जय यमुना मैया
Glory to Mother Yamuna, the river Krishna loved
Morning, 7 am, Nand Bhavan in Gokul
Help Kanha steal the butter
Mother Yashoda has gone to the cowshed. The butter pots hang from the rafters, out of reach, she thinks. Kanha is already standing on Subal's shoulders, and he is pointing at you. Tap the pots.
मैया मोरी, मैं नहिं माखन खायो
"Mother, I did not eat the butter." Surdas
Midday, 11 am, the forests of Braj
Play the flute and call the cows home
The herd has wandered across the Yamuna meadows. Kanha leans against a kadamba tree and hands you his bansuri. Every note you play calls a cow back. Play Sa Re Ga Pa Dha in order and see who comes to dance.
मुरली मनोहर
The one whose flute steals every heart
On a keyboard, keys 1 to 6 play the holes.
Afternoon, 2 pm, Kaliya Daha
Dance on the hoods of Kaliya
A many-headed serpent has poisoned this bend of the Yamuna; the grass on its banks has turned grey. Kanha has leapt from the kadamba branch onto Kaliya's hoods. Tap each hood as it lights up to keep his rhythm. Every step clears the water.
कालिय मर्दन
The taming of Kaliya
Late afternoon, 4 pm, Govardhan Hill
Hold up Govardhan in Indra's storm
This year Braj worshipped the hill instead of Indra, and Indra has answered with seven days of rain. Kanha lifts Govardhan on the little finger of his left hand, and all of Braj, cows and calves and grandmothers, shelters beneath it. Press and hold to lift the hill. Keep holding for seven days.
मेरे तो गिरधर गोपाल, दूसरो न कोई
"Mine is Giridhar Gopal, there is no other." Meerabai
Dusk, 6:30 pm, the hour of cow-dust
Offer the evening aarti
The herd comes home in a cloud of golden dust, a bell at every neck, and Kanha walks among them with his flute. The lamps are lit. Hold the brass thali and circle the shrine seven times.
आरती कुंजबिहारी की, श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की
Aarti to the one who wanders the groves, who held the hill
Sharad Purnima, midnight, Nidhivan
Join the Raas under the full moon
The flute has called every gopi out of her house. In the ring there is a Krishna beside each one, and each is certain he dances only with her. Take your place, then clap to keep the tala. Drag across the circle to spin it.
राधे राधे
The greeting of Braj, and its whole prayer
Radhe Radhe
अधरं मधुरं वदनं मधुरं नयनं मधुरं हसितं मधुरम्।
हृदयं मधुरं गमनं मधुरं मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्॥
His lips are sweet, his face is sweet, his eyes are sweet, his smile is sweet. His heart is sweet, his walk is sweet; everything about the Lord of Sweetness is sweet. Madhurashtakam
Vrindavan wakes again at 4:30. Your lamps will still be on the river.