The Diary Of a Gopika

Maakhan Chor

"Enough!", said Sudevi. "We have been patiently putting up with Kanhaiyya's mischievous deeds all these days but now it's high time Yashoda gets to know what her lalla is upto. All day she sings glories of her son's innocence & goodness, but little does she know how he makes the whole town dance on his tunes."

Rest all added, "Haan, chalo chalo! All his drama will tone down once Yashoda maiyya twists his ears and ties him up with a rope to the walls of her haveli. That Maakhan Chor badly needs a lesson!!"

Though our purpose was to bring your deeds to her notice, our deep intent was to see you, be around you, and fall in the trap of your big blue eyes, yet again. And above all, to witness that last victory smirk of yours' when Yashoda maiyya will take your side and bash all of us for putting up false allegations.

On reaching Nand Baba's haveli, we were collectively calling out for Yashoda maiyya but all our eyes were only seeking you.

As soon maiyya came out, all of us started listing out your antics one after another.

"You know what your so called bhola lalla did a day back? In the mid-afternoon, when me & Chitra were sitting at the door facing opposite directions, as from which side your lalla would crash in & break our pots, he jumped in from the backdoor and entangled our hair plaits silently. Before we could even realise this, he & his monkey gang flew away with all the maakhan available. In an attempt to run behind them, we ended up falling on the earth and hurt our backs miserably. What kind of a low prank was this!?", cried out Chaarulata.

"Now listen to this Yashoda, when one day we all decided to get hold of this butter theif red handedly, and waited for him the whole day without leaving our homes, he suddenly drives a monkey into our house. While we all were busy in scaring off that monkey, he came like a cat, broke the pot, and ate away all the curd that was saved. Huh!! The things he does to get his job done.. only Narayana knows! ", an annoyed Ratnavali complained.

"That is nothing. The other day when I prepared the bhog for Lakshmi Narayana pooja, arranged them in the pooja mandir & closed my eyes while praying, this maayavi came & finished all the prasada in no time, even before I recited the mantras of naivedyam and offered it to the deity. On questioning, he says, 'why do you offer food to the idols when sakshaat Narayana is right in front of you, kaaki', then pinches my nose & runs away. Now your prince even started claiming that he's Narayana to cover up his mischiefs. What do I even say!?", ranted Sushila kaaki, hitting her forehead with her palm in annoyance.

Rest all also added with so many similar incidents too and concluded saying, "See Yashoda, you better teach your lalla a good lesson and punish him for all his deeds. We aren't going to tolerate this circus anymore."

And then suddenly, all at the right moment, when we thought our pleas are finally being heard, you entered with an innocent face, increasing our heartbeats by countless times with the music of your anklets while you walked in. You silently went and hid behind Yashoda maiyya, while your sparky eyes were still scanning us through her sari's pallu.

The way you looked at maiyya, she melted like butter. For that matter, who wouldn't? I would sell away my entire existence for that one indescribably adorable look of yours'. For a second, even we believed that you were innocent and all our allegations are nothing but jokes.

With your words just like sprinkles of sugar on the curd, you cried out, "Mori maiyya, trust me on this, I didn't steal any butter or milk from any of these Gopi's houses. Why would I even think of doing that? My pyaari maiyya feeds me with lots of food & butter already, that there's hardly any space left for anything else to fit in my little tummy."

Placing your soft tiny hands on your tummy and circling them slowly, you said -

"Maiyya, these dusht gopis only seek pleasure in blaming me and getting my ears twisted for no reason. But you trust me na, maiyya!? You won't twist your favourite lalla's soft ears & make them red? I know my maiyya will never allow anyone else's words poison her ears against her sweet lalla!!", with a puppy face.

Hey Narayan!! Such a drama you are!! You can effortlessly draw anyone into your maya jaal with those pair of sparkling eyes and nectarous words.

After witnessing your irresistibly cute behaviour, maiyya just couldn't stop herself from kissing your cheeks repeatedly. Then cupping your face with both her hands, she said, "Oh my lallaa, how did this thought even bother your little head that your maiyya will trust these vile gopis and hurt her precious child? Never in my entire life. Wait, let me teach these women a lesson!!"

And turning towards us furiously, she said, "Listen you crazy women, why don't you find any other chores for your amusement other than blaming my lalla for all your losses!? There's plenty of milk, fresh butter, and umpteen varieties of sweets at his baba's place that are more than enough to satisfy his little tummy. Why will he even think of stealing anything from anyone else? I warn you, next time you better think a hundred times before putting up these baseless allegations on my kanhaiyya."

Then she softened her tone a bit and continued, "And yeah, take few pots of maakhan & dahi from our backyard while leaving. His baba won't be pleased to send any of our guests empty handed, despite of whatever purpose for their arrival might be."

Poor us! What words can we even put up in our defence after you decided to play your leela? We could hardly gather ourselves after you threw that one hypnotic look from the corner of your kohled eyes along with that winning smirk on your lips. Huh! You very well know how to make a joke out of us right? We looked like a bunch of delusional women and became a laughing stock for the crowd around.

But we still walked out with a shameless smile on, recalling your face when you kept your little thumb on your nose while waving the other four fingers in the air with your tongue out for teasing us. Such a charming chaliyaa you are!!

. . .

" माखन चोर की निंदा करने आई गोपियां
जब देखी मनमोहन का दृश्य,
चित्त चोर बनकर ऐसे चित्त चुराए माधव ने,
की सारी शिकायतें होगायी अदृश्य। "

Radhey radhey!