An officer and a ‘Doosri Radha’

Now, he even goes to office in his yellow sari. ‘‘I don’t care what people say. It’s only that Krishna is making me lead this kind of lifestyle,’’ says Panda, a 1973 batch IPS officer.

‘‘For my bhakti, I have taken a three-year training in kathak,’’ he reveals, breaking into an impromptu performance. ‘‘Teri bansi pe jaan balihaar rasiya, mein to naachoongi tere dwaar rasiya,’’ he dances, to the rhythm of his ghungroo.

According to Panda, he’s always had faith in God, right since childhood. ‘‘I initially started worshipping Lord Shiva,’’ he informs, adding that his father, who is also his guru, asked him to do so. ‘‘After the appearance of Lord Krishna, I developed a unique bonding with him,’’ he adds.

To fit in his devotion with his office schedule, Panda gets up at 3 am. That way, he can take time out for official work too. Asked how he copes with work pressure amidst his bhakti, he retorts, ‘‘It’s not me, Krishna does it for me.’’ Despite his high-ranking job which requires him to keep abreast with the times, Panda does not read newspapers.

But his devotional act has not gone down too well with his near and dear ones. His wife, for one, has filed for separation. Calling him a dhongi (imposter), she says: ‘‘He is doing all this to get publicity. He is a shady character. I possess all the proof in this regard and will furnish the same in court.’’

But again, Panda is not bothered. He even attends court hearings on his separation case in his ‘‘Radha’’ attire.