Vishnupriya

Mayavi Gopala

"Welcome back Dadhilobha." a young boy of age 10 with dark complexion says sleeping on the branch of the tree. "is this for us?" a young boy of age 12 with fair complexion opposite to the 10 year old says.

Dadhilobha quickly shakes his head as no and licks the mangoes making the 10 year old chuckle. "She gave you the right name Dadhilobha! Hairy and greedy!" the 12 year old says pushing away the shedded hair of Dadhilobha from his angavastram but Dadhilobha just ignored him and started eating his mangoes.

*****

"A dark boy with yellow clothing, peacock feather and flute!" Radha says reminding herself and her sakhiyon. "Now where do we find this mayavi?" Vishakha asks. "Just keep on searching." Lalita says.

"Sakhiyon! Where are we?" Tungavidhya asks as they came abit way too far than they usual do. "Even I don't know sakhi." Chitra says. "Now what shall we do? We have never explored this part." Champaklata says.

"Our parents must be worried as we are usually near home by this time." Chitra says making them agree. "And sunset is near, soon in no time it will be dark and the wild creatures will start roaming around." Sudevi says. "And it will be impossible to find way out of this unknown place in the dark." Rangadevi adds.

"Now what should we do sakhi?" Indulekha asks. "let's try to retrace our steps. Like that it will be easier." Radha says and everybody agrees. Though it was hard they did manage to retrace their steps a little but were again lost.

"What is this tune?" Vishnupriya asks gaining their attention. "It feels so magical and light.. as if its calling me." Vishnupriya says and the rest agrees. "Wait! Where are we going? We have to find our way back not deeper in the forest." Radha says.

"Yes I know sakhi but this tune... it is calling me! This is my fate! This is my destiny! I am born to follow the tunes of the flute." Vishakha says absent mindedly dreamily closing her eyes and following the tune.

"But..." radha too couldn't resist the tune and started following it unknowingly. They followed the tune with closed eyes swirling and moving to the rhythm. The gopis opened their eyes feeling open space to find themselves out of the forest.

Their eyes fell on a group of boys playing nearby with their calves. "Who are they? I have never seen them." Champaklata says. "Neither have I. Their calves too are different, they must be from somewhere else." Chitra confirms.

"Again! This melody!" Vishakha says and they search from the source. "Sakhiyon! He!" Lalita says pointing at the dark figure of a 10 year old boy resting on the branch of the tree while playing his flute.

"Wait, isn't that Dadhilobha?" Tungavidhya says spotting Dadhilobha juggling 3 remaining mangoes while dancing to its beat but soon failed as the mangoes one by one fell on top of his head making the 12 year old fair figure sitting opposite to the dark figure chuckle.

"Fair complexion, tilak of musk, blue garment, topknot.. and dark complexion..... curly black hair, yellow garments, gopi chandana..." Radha says observing the two figures. "And a peacock feather and a flute!!" Vishnupriya completes.

"So the mayavi is a gopal?" Chitra asks. "It was his flute that brought us here, meaning is he going to eat us?" Vishakha asks gaining the two figure's attention. "O look we have some visitors!" the fair complexion says.

"Pranam gopiyo how may I help you?" the dark complexion asks getting down of the tree gaining his friends' attention. "You! You are the one stealing makhan and breaking our pots right?" Radha confronts the dark complexion making him chuckle.

"Is this the way of the people of Barsana to welcome their guests? Accusing them?" the dark complexion asks. "Who are you?" Vishnupriya asks. "I?" the dark complexion laughs. "What is there to laugh? Sakhi asked your name answer her." Sudevi says.

"I am just wondering with which name should I introduce myself? I have multiple names. Some people call me kanha, some kanhaiya, some even makhanchor, some Banke and some gopal. But at birth was named Krishna. And this is my dau Balram." krishna introduces.

"Now who are you?" krishna asks. "I am Radha and this is my sister Vishnupriya. And why are you stealing our makhan and breaking our pots?" Radha asks. "I? I am so innocent how could I possibly steal anything?" Krishna asks innocently.

"There is no use in fooling us. It won't work on us, Dadhilobha has said us everything." Rangadevi says making her sakhiyon nod. "Dadhilobha?" balram looks at Dadhilobha who stood there sheepishly.

"But what proof do you have that I am the one who stole those makhan and broke your pots?" Krishna asks attacking them with his charming smile.

"Radha! Vishnupriya!" Kirti comes finding her daughters. "Radha! Vishnupriya!" Kirti spots them and rushes towards her daughters. "Where were you? Do you know how worried I was?" Kirti says sweeping them in her arms.

"Kanha? Bal?" Yashodha and Rohini too come in the search of their children. "Pranam Kirti kaki!" Krishna and Balram join their hand. "Maiya?" Vishnupriya and Radha questions. 

"Oh my! Are they your daughters Kirti? Radha and Vishnupriya?" Yashodha asks. "Yes jiji. Ladoo she is my Yashodha jiji and Rohini jiji from Gokul. They have come here to live in Vrindavan." Kirti says. "Pranam kakishree." the two join their hands. "Let's go now. Its late." Kirti says and they return back.

Vishnupriya and Radha were giving suspicious eyes to Krishna who pretended not to see it. "Oh my! if it isn't Kanhaiya!" one of the ladies of Barsana says gaining all the attention. the ladies come forward and adore the Gokul siblings.

"Maiya! I am extremely hungry!" Krishna whines. "Aree? How can our Kanhaiya be hungry in our presence? You like makhan don't you? Here." a lady feeds makhan from her pot to Krishna. "Here, eat mine as well." "Let me feed him as well." the ladies crowd Krishna and Balram feeding them their makhan. "Thank you kaki." krishna attacks them fatally with his smile. "This gopal is mayavi! I am telling you! Sakhiyon we have to be careful from him." Radha says and krishna looks at them and curls his fingers in a repetitive motion to the gopis taking them back. krishna just chuckle at their reaction and goes back to eating. "Mayavi Gopala..." they say under their breath.