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Journalism of Courage
I had been accumulating my share of sins for many months now, and it was about time they were washed clean 8212; how else does one gather more? Opportunity came through the medium of Krishna, whose father, a close friend, was planning to celebrate his son8217;s first birthday in the land of his namesake, with a hawan. 8220;You have to come,8221; he said. 8220;A divine timing,8221; I thought. Besides, three hours was convenient enough for this spiritual washing. A huge coordinating exercise later, there we were, at 120 kmph, all set to bless the child and seek Krishna8217;s blessings in Vrindavan.
But in Krishna8217;s country Braj, which includes Mathura where Krishna was born, Gokul where he was smuggled to escape Kansa8217;s tyranny, Vrindavan where he grew up and met Radha and Govardhan the mountain he lifted 8212; there8217;s no Krishna to be seen or sensed. Poor city planning at Vrindavan has left neither 8216;vrinda8217; tulsi nor 8216;van8217; forest. Garbage has expanded the small town8217;s periphery, providing a base for roads to run on, pushing river Yamuna in which Krishna fought Kaliya 70 metres or so away. The cowherd 8212; a term Krishna was often called derogatorily in later life but one he was proud of as it brought back memories of Radha 8212; his flute and Vrindavan, have been replaced by the goon trying to seek ransom from devotees, turning what could be one of the world8217;s most visited religious destinations into an experience that leaves faithless ashes in the mouth.
