Radha and Krishna

Radha and Krishna were archetypal lovers. Here is an an interesting story about them. On being poisoned by the breast milk of Putana, Krishna got a dark skin colour and was disappointed with his swarthy appearance. He thought that because of his skin colour, Radha, the fair-skinned one, and other girls of her kind would not like him. To soothe her disappointed son, his mother, Yashoda, advised him to approach Radha and colour her skin the way he liked. Krishna followed the advice and went to Radha to playfully colour her in his own skin colour so that both of them looked alike. By this naughty act, both Radha and Krishna, the exemplary lovers, developed a spiritual bond with each other. Thus the colouring of Radha’s skin to match Krishna’s skin colour became a way of celebrating Holi as well. As such, Holi became a festival of colours which brought the lovers together. Since Krishna grew up in Braj, Holi acquired a special significance and meaning in this region where it is celebrated for five more days which is known as Rangpanchami.

References: Kayi maqam pe donon mile zaroor magar/Kishan ne Radha ko Radha ne kab Kishan ko chhua (Faiz Khalilabadi), Gaagar se chimti hai Radha/Shyam jo us ko chhoota hoga (Khwaja Sajid), Main murlidhar main manmohan/Tuu hai Radha tuu hai Padman (Khalid Mubasshir), Paigham-e-hayaat-e jaawidaan tha/Har naghma-i-Krishna baansuri ka (Hasrat Mohani), Deewaar-o-dar pe Krishna ki leela ke naqsh hain/Mandir hai ye to Krishna ke darbaar ki tarah (Shobha Kakul), Hasrat ki bhi qubool ho Mathura mein haazri/Sunte hain aashiqon pe tumhara karam hai aaj (Hasrat Mohani), Wo raaton raat Shri Krishna ko uthhaaye hue/Bala ki qaid hai Basdeo ka nikal jaana (Firaq Gorakhpuri)

Radha and Krishna were archetypal lovers. Here is an an interesting story about them. On being poisoned by the breast milk of Putana, Krishna got a dark skin colour and was disappointed with his swarthy appearance. He thought that because of his skin colour, Radha, the fair-skinned one, and other girls of her kind would not like him. To soothe her disappointed son, his mother, Yashoda, advised him to approach Radha and colour her skin the way he liked. Krishna followed the advice and went to Radha to playfully colour her in his own skin colour so that both of them looked alike. By this naughty act, both Radha and Krishna, the exemplary lovers, developed a spiritual bond with each other. Thus the colouring of Radha’s skin to match Krishna’s skin colour became a way of celebrating Holi as well. As such, Holi became a festival of colours which brought the lovers together. Since Krishna grew up in Braj, Holi acquired a special significance and meaning in this region where it is celebrated for five more days which is known as Rangpanchami.

References: Kayi maqam pe donon mile zaroor magar/Kishan ne Radha ko Radha ne kab Kishan ko chhua (Faiz Khalilabadi), Gaagar se chimti hai Radha/Shyam jo us ko chhoota hoga (Khwaja Sajid), Main murlidhar main manmohan/Tuu hai Radha tuu hai Padman (Khalid Mubasshir), Paigham-e-hayaat-e jaawidaan tha/Har naghma-i-Krishna baansuri ka (Hasrat Mohani), Deewaar-o-dar pe Krishna ki leela ke naqsh hain/Mandir hai ye to Krishna ke darbaar ki tarah (Shobha Kakul), Hasrat ki bhi qubool ho Mathura mein haazri/Sunte hain aashiqon pe tumhara karam hai aaj (Hasrat Mohani), Wo raaton raat Shri Krishna ko uthhaaye hue/Bala ki qaid hai Basdeo ka nikal jaana (Firaq Gorakhpuri)