Music for Him

Yet another trip to Vrindavana. Somehow my parents are never tired of going to that place. I hate having to go there because it means getting up at 5 in the morning on a weekend! I slept through the first half of the journey. Then I drove my dad's car for the first time in 5 years(!) for the rest of the way.

We went to the Banke Bihari temple first as that is what we had come to do. It was surprisingly empty, usually it is full of people trying to step on each other to get a better view of Lord Krishna. The most comfortable viewing we've had in quite a while now. We hung around for a while, I don't know why. Then we moved out and had our glass of lassi at the same shop we go to every single time we visit the temple. It was great as usual.

Then we drove down to the place I like more, the ISKCON Temple. This place is more of a temple than the previous one. There are no 'priests' giving special treatment to the 'devotees' who 'donate' more than usual, there is no money changing hands, there are no touts trying to sell 'prasad' or offering to get you special treatment etc etc. There is just Lord Krishna and the sound of music resonating throughout the temple. The lyrics are pretty simple too:


The tune can be whatever you want it to as is the case with the 'band' that sings throughout the day. The rhythm keeps changing from time to time depending upon the involvement of the gathering I think. Yesterday's was amazing. There was with white guy who could pass for an Indian playing the mridangam and he was on fire. The soft melody grew into a full time festive tune with loud singing and a hell of a ruckus with people clapping and dancing along. They took turns to sing and play the instruments and kept passing them around. I managed to get hold of this wooden thing with rows of small cymbals on both sides and happily shaked it all over the place, in sync, and contributed to the loud and delightful celebration. There was a sense of euphoria and it was the loudest I'd ever heard them play in all my visits over the years. And I loved it. It was a celebration of God.

The drive back wasn't interesting. I decided never to drive my dad's car again with him in it. Switched with him halfway through and slept blissfully for the rest of the way.