JOIN USLittle Krishnas bring the Lord alive
While Lord Krishna plays the flute mellifluously, his consort Radha dances to hilt, as read in the epics.
On Wednesday, Sri Kshetra Kadri temple saw children of different age groups dressed as Krishna and Radha bringing revered couple alive – both in person and performance to the applause of the gathering.
Kalkura Prathishtana had organised various competitions for the national children’s festival, as part of the Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrations. To encourage children, irrespective of the age group, a ‘Sri Krishna Vesha Spardhe’ (fancy dress) and Sri Krishna Gaana Vaibhava, a singing competition, had been organised in different categories, at different venues on the premises of the temple .
The Sri Krishna Janma Mahotsava Samiti Vedike, a specially erected dais on the temple premises was replete with children dressed in different coloured clothes, as Krishna and Radha performing to a medley of songs, especially in Kannada and Hindi. To make it real, some boys had painted their faces blue, while some recreated the scenes of ‘Kamsa vadhe’ with a portrait of Kamsa (the maternal uncle of Sri Krishna) in hand. Girls appeasing Krishna with dance was the showstopper, with most performing the same.
It was a visual treat with kids in decorative headgears, bejewelled costumes in different hues and also peacock feather, to top it all. Parents were eager to seize their tiny-tots in frame, clicking photos of their wards on cell phones, mostly selfies. A separate podium had also been set up on temple premises for a photo session, with the professionals hired by organisers.
For kids less than one-year-old ‘Kanda Krishna’ contest was organised, followed by ‘Muddu Krishna’ and ‘Tunta Krishna’ (for one to two year old kids), ‘Balakrishna’ (for kindergarten and LKG-going children), ‘Kishora Krishna’ (UKG and Class one), ‘Sri Krishna’ (Class two to four) and ‘Geetha Krishna’ (up to Class seven).
Other than playing flute, Krishna blowing conch (shankha in Kannada) during the war between Pandavas and Kauravas is known to all. It was also a reason suffice to hold a contest in the categories of ‘Shankhanadha’ and ‘Shankhodghosha’ for students up to Class seven and above Class seven respectively. The other categories were Devaki Krishna, Yashodha Krishna, Yaksha Krishna and Vasudeva Krishna, followed by a quiz contest. The events began with singing competition, with budding singers invoking the lord with different songs.
A separate contest of ‘tying a piece of cloth around the forehead resembling the lord and his brother Balarama’ was organised for the students of Sharada Vidyalaya, the volunteers of the competitions, who were tasked with enrolment of contestants.
The road leading to the Kadri temple was dotted with temporary arches welcoming the contestants for the competitions.