Yes you can bind God by a rope around his belly!

"Namam Isvaram Sac-cid-ananda rupam.. Lasad kundalam gokule braja maanam.."

This song I quote above is part of Damodarashtakam- a poetic compilation of eight verses in glorification of Lord Krishna. This song captures the story of baby Krishna, who is caught stealing butter and feeding them to the monkeys. His mother Yashoda catches him red-handed and chases him around trying to catch him. After repeated attempts she finally manages to catch him and tie him to a wooden mortar with the help of ropes which are used to bind cows, as punishment for all his mischief.

This is my favourite story. I love the fact that how God, whom we generally worship with awe and reverence can be bound by ropes used for cows. Can anything or any force stop God? Yes! But there is only one thing which can stop him, Your love!

This particular story took place during the month of Kartik - a month as per the vedic calendar which also includes the festival of Diwali. This month of Kartik is very auspicious to the vaishnavas, and some of them intensify their daily worship.

In the temples of Vrindavan and ISKCON all over the world, twice a day, we offer lamps to the deities of Lord Krsna. Unlike other aartis though, here the lamps are not offered by the Pujaris/priests. They are offered by one and all. They are small diyas which are lit and given to everyone and you can directly offer it to the deities by waving it in front of them in usual arati style.

Mornings it takes place at 7.30-8 and evenings also around 7.20pm. I always try my best to make it to the evenings sessions. And the Damodarashtakam song is sung by the devotees in the most melodious tunes, most times in Raag Bhairavi, accompanied by instruments, lights dimmed and hundreds of people offering lamps.

In Mayapur, my favourite place as mentioned before, even locals throng the temple and you see the big temple only lit by lamps carried by the thousands.

This festival and story was also very dear to my Dad, and during his final days, I read out the story to him from the Krsna book as he listened through his semi-conscious state.

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The Big Festival I didnt take part in.

This is the biggest festival I least participate in.

That's because all my exams, school to graduation, coincided with this festival. And the chawl a few 100 metres from my home places the same then cassette now CD for all the years. SAME!! Not one change. So much so that I could tell you which track is next at any given time.

And I would cringe, whine and pray for the dance to get over. So yes, some bad memories associated with this festival. But no bad feelings as such.

Thanks to a lot of bengali friends I got to see the other side of the festival. My friends Suchandra and Sudisha took me along to the Durga Puja festival in Balkanji bari, santacruz. Now that was something!!

This festival is arranged by Raja Mukherjee, brother of Rani and cousin of Kajol. A beautiful arrangement of a pandal every year, with an elegant deity of Durga Maa. After praying to her we head to the entertainment show that follows. A lot of famous singers n actors drop by and give a decent performance. But then I get to meet a lot of other sweet bengali people.

I read about the mela in Shivaji park, and I wanted to attend that. But as you will be familiar by now if you have been tracking my blogs, my nights are tied up, hence missed going there. Next time I hope to.

Dusshera! I have enjoyed for years watching the story of Lord Rama killing Ravana, in cartoon and drama. I definitely not a fan of the burning of Ravana effigy. Too combustive! (Yes I won't be burning crackers in Diwali, and haven't been since quite some years.

Quite some BBMs talked abt Dusshera being a lesson never to mess with another persons wife. But not many know, that Lord Rama had given the provision that if Ravana would come and ask for forgiveness, Rama would forgive him without punishing him.

But Ravana didn't, even after witnessing Hanuman single handedly burned Lanka to Ashes.

So Dusshera is the lesson, that death is imminent, but take it as chance to let go of unnecessary, unwanted vices before you regret that its too late.

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