Krishna is the Heart of India: A Muslim’s Ode on Janmashtami

“So what if I cried inconsolably, when I was not allowed to play the role of lord Krishna at my school function?”

Muslim women carry their children dressed as Radha and Krishna on Janmashtami.

(Photo: PTI)

(For Janmashtami, The Quint is republishing this touching ode to Krishna, originally published in August 2016.)

So what if the anecdotes of Lord Krishna still echo in my ears as I look back into my early days, when my grandfather held my hand and we walked in our humble courtyard?

So what if my father carried on that legacy by enlightening me with sagacity from the Bhagwad Gita?

So what if I cried inconsolably when some worldly boundaries stopped my celestial path and I was not allowed to portray Krishna in my school function?

So what if flute has been my music interest, one that I owe to Lord Krishna, as I crippled myself trying to stand on one foot, imitating how he played it?

So what if my heart was filled with homage towards a fallen morpankh and it always seemed sacred to me for I kept them safe in my books believing it would add to my wisdom?

People dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha during Janmashtami celebrations. (Photo: PTI)

So what if the cherubic face of Lord Krishna smeared with butter still warms my heart, immersing me in the goodness of innocence?

So what if adorning my son’s crown with the same morpankh makes me a proud father as he portrays baby Krishna in his school function, interestingly his name happens to be Ali, so what?

So what if I am reliving my childhood with Ali and being reminded of how times were so different during my childhood, so what?

So what if Ali is portraying Lord Krishna and so what if I identify myself as a harbinger of traditions and a champion of Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb?

So what if I had been brought up the way I was, and so what if I will be bringing up my children as I was brought up?

So what if tears roll down upon my cheeks as I pen down my love for Lord Krishna?

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A student participates in celebrations ahead of the Janmashtami festival (Photo: Reuters)

So what if I have just begun to understand what all Raskhan went through while he dedicated his ink to the praise of Lord Krishna and him alone?

If we look closely at the map of India, Vrindavan seems like the heart of it and so what if I believe that Lord Krishna is the heart of India?

And so what if this software suggested me that Krishna should be written with a capital ‘k’, as I penned this ode?

Happy Birthday Lord Krishna!

From Naved.

(Naved Ahmad is a Delhi based blogger who identifies himself as a writer by instinct, sports coach by profession and a harbinger of universality. This is a personal blog and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)