Krishna Janmashtami Special: Nand Bhavan or Chaurasi Khamba Temple in Mahavan, Old Gokul

"Blessed is human birth,
even the dwellers in heaven desire this birth,
for true knowledge and pure love may be attained only by a human being."
- Bhagavad Gita.

------------------------------ **** ------------------------------ 

The clock strikes twelve, it's midnight;

and a mischievous beautiful brave child takes birth
to two divine parents, Vasudev and Devki,
in the confines of the jail set up by Devki’s brother, demon king Kansa.
It's the eighth day in the month of Shravan of the hindu calendar, Ashtami…

and according to a celestial prediction, the child is to be the slayer of Kansa;

hence Kansa is already eagerly on the lookout of this child even before he is born.

In the dark hour of the night that he is born, a miracle happens…

all the doors in the jail are thrown open and the binding chains unshackle,

the guards on duty have all fallen asleep!

Fearing for his child’s safety,

Father Vasudev ferries his little apple of the eye
across a ferocious River Yamuna,

across stormy waters and lightening skies,

and places him in Nand Bhavan,

in the loving lap of Yashoda and NandRaj for care...

------------------------------ **** ------------------------------ 

The rest is history and today, it all lies scattered as a treasure for pilgrims all over the world to hunt and gather from a small nondescript town that stands off a dusty road. Around 11 kms. from Mathura on the left bank of River Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh, our car steers its way, past green fields and tiny bushes, towards Mahavan, also known as Old Gokul, in a bid to collect some of these precious pearls from an era gone by.

Take a turn towards Nand Bhavan!

A flight of steps takes us to the significant Nand Bhavan also known as the Chaurasi Khamba temple, the same house where once the cow-herder boy, the infinitely loving essence, Baby Krishna was raised along with his elder cousin brother Balaram in loving affection by his foster parents, Yashoda and NandRaj, and where he spent his childhood by performing his pastimes and lilas and stealing many hearts.

Chaurasi Khamba Temple / 84 pillared temple or Nand Bhavan.

The original palace, built by architect of the Gods Vishwakarma around 5000 years ago, couldn't escape the destruction by Emperor king Aurangzeb during his reign as a result of which this temple is a re-built version believed to be constructed later using the same pillars from the original. No wonder then, the major striking aspect of the temple are the pillars on which the temple stands its ground – exactly 84 in number! And that is how the temple gets its name - Chaurasi Khamba - which refers to the 84 pillars in the temple.

Outer walls of the temple.

The walls of the temple are adorned with paintings and motifs illustrating the life of the Lord right from his birth to his early years of childhood. As I roll my hands on the stone carvings, passing from one pillar to the next, and gaze at the beautiful paintings, it’s easy to be transported to a time that still stands still somewhere in the annals of space…

One of the pillars in the temple.

A raas lila painting adorning the outer wall.

A time when Krishna’s enchanting laughter

resonated in the verandahs as a little child swinging in the cradle.

A time when Krishna’s brave acts of killed mighty demons like Putna and Trinavrita

as simply as a child’s play.

A time when Mother Yashoda’s annoyance led her to bind his piece of heart

to 2 trees with a rope that somehow always came out undersized…

What lies inside?

Mahavan today is marked by all these places that come alive in living breathing structures resplendent in timeless tales, legends and lores from Ancient texts and Scriptures glorifying the various pastimes and youthful plays (lilas) of Lord Krishna in his early years. The temple inside is dim lighted and stands neatly on a row of ornate columns and pillars resplendent in symbols and figures - the number 84 signifying 84,00,000 species of life in this material world. All the pillars taken together in the temple thus houses all the life in the Universe. In the center of this life ball, sits the core of all, baby Lord Krishna swinging in a cradle, playing as a child, radiating his blooming effulgence, looked over lovingly by his family, Nand Baba, Yashoda maiya and his elder brother Balaram. Photography is allowed inside the temple but due to poor lighting conditions and my cellphone camera, I couldn't take any presentable ones.

BrajVaasi Vallabh (Krishna) always resides in my spirit
May I never ever forget him, my love and the pride of Nand Baba.

The pradakshina marg or the circumambulation path around the Chaurasi Khamba temple in Mahavan leads you places like Brahmand Ghat where baby Krishna showed the entire Universe in his mouth much to the astonishment of his mother, Yamala-Arjuna kunda where Krishna uprooted the two ashoka trees on which he was tied for his mischief's and several smaller shrines depicting various incidences connected to his growing up years like killing of demons Putana and Trinavarta.

A temple of Kali Maa under the banyan tree.

Lord Shiva temple.

The main temple is surrounded by several smaller shrines located close to each other housing various other Hindu Gods and Goddesses along with a banyan tree draped with many colourful ribbons dipped in faith and prayer.

------------------------------ **** ------------------------------ 

In a world frightened by birth and death,

some people take shelter of shrutis, some of the smritis

and some of the Mahabharata.

But I pray to Shri NandRaja,

in whose courtyard Param Brahma is playing as a child.

~ Sri Padyavali, 127