Trinidad (Central America) : Youths prepare for Krishna Leela in Tabaquite

Shravan Shuklapaksha Ekadashi, Kaliyug Varsha 5116

Massive preparations are now taking place for the second annual Shri Krishna Leela at the Guaracara Recreation Ground in Tabaquite.

This ten-day drama based on the life and times of the Hindu God Lord Krishna is being staged by the Krishna Rama Shakti Mandir (KRSM) of Tabaquite. This play runs from August 1 to 10 between the hours of 6 pm to 8 pm. Members of the KRSM will be playing the various roles in this unfolding drama of Lord Krishna. 

According to Pundit Lackram, Chan Krishna Leela drama production depicts the exploits of Lord Krishna (an incarnation of God), when he took descent on earth thousands of years ago in India. 

This is a play similar to Ramleela and it consists of scenes depicting Krishna’s appearance from a baby to his teenage days. 

Songs and music fill this celebration and it concludes with the destruction of Kansa (the maternal uncle of Lord Krishna) who was by nature, a cruel person. The stories of Lord Krishna can be found in the Hindu texts, the Bhagwat Puran and the Mahabarat. 

Krishna was born at the stroke of midnight to Vasudeva and Devaki in Goloka Brindraban (a place in India). Krishna’s father took him across the river at midnight to hide him from the wicked king Kamsa. 

Krishna grew up with his foster parents Nanda and Yashoda. Kamsa found out about Krishna’s new home and employed the demon Putana to kill him. 

The demon dressed as a beautiful woman got to Krishna’s nursery, hoping to kill him with the poison she had smeared on her nipples. Krishna’s mother innocently let Putana pick the baby up and put it to her breast. 

Krishna stifled Putna to death to reveal the demon in her. 

As the Krishna Leela unfolds it will tell the story of Krishna as a youth asking Nanda to worship the Govardhana Hill instead of Lord Indra. Krishna argued, “We do not derive any special benefit from Indra. 

Our specific relationship is with Govardhana Hill and Vrindavana forest. Let us have nothing to do with Indra.” King Nanda finally agreed with Krishna and prepared to offer the sacrifice to Govardhana Hill. 

This made Lord Indra angry and jealous. Forgetting the divine position of Krishna, Indra reasoned, “These cowherd men in Vrindavana have neglected my authority on the advice of this talkative boy who is known as Krishna. He is nothing but a child, and by believing this child, they have enraged me.” 

Indra then sent a storm to devastate Vrindavana. All the people and animals came to Krishna for shelter, and in a miraculous show of strength, Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill to make the mountain into a huge umbrella. 

Everyone crowded underneath it and remained safe until the rains stopped. Later, Lord Indra realised his mistake in attacking Krishna and apologised. This is an example of one of the demigods behaving like a demon. 

The drama will come to an end on the tenth day when Lord Krishna kills the wicked King Kamsa in battle.

Source: News Day