In the Saraswat Kalpa, Krishna once asks all the Vrajwasis to assemble under the Goverdhan Parvat. Diwali is round the corner. The atmosphere is festive. The Vrajwasis, as usual, obey Krishna’s every command. They bring several lamps with them. When evening gives way to night, the Vrajwasis place their tiny lamps around Goverdhan Parvat and light them up one by one. Some light lamps along the steps leading to Surbhi Kund. Others light lamps and set them afloat on the waters of Manasi Ganga. Yet others exchange diyas with one another – engage in deep daan – and create another circle of lamps around Goverdhan Parvat.
After Krishna and the Vrajwasis offer their prayers to lord Goverdhan they sit quietly by themselves and feast their eyes on the dazzling scene. Suddenly, out of the blue, Krishna calls out to the Vrajwasis and says, “This ambience is so divine that it takes my breath away. Let’s bask in the soft radiance of these twinkling lamps by creating a night long bazaar (Haat) here.
The Vrajwasis jump with eagerness at this fantastic idea. Most of them own small Hataris(shops) in the main bazaar. But they don’t want to pass up the opportunity of setting up a special Haat for one whole night when Diwali is round the corner. They smile with joy because they know that when Krishna is with them they would do brisk business.
Yet some naively ask Krishna, “What shall we sell in this Haat?” Krishna calmly says, “Anything that you have and wish to sell. Toys, sweets, perfumes, clothes, savouries, games, spices, dried fruits, vegetables, fruits….anything. I too will set up a Hatari of my own. We will decorate our Haat with more such small lights and charm the gopis with our wares. I’m sure they will buy things from our Haat.”
Far far away, the gopis come out for a breath of fresh air after they finish their household chores. And they gasp in delight when they witness this wondrous sight. Krishna had literally transformed Vraj into a gleaming heavenly abode. The gopis quickly dress themselves in their best clothes. And swoon with delight when they see the splendid array of things that are displayed in this unique Haat. They had never ever seen such lovely things in their lives before. Well. It was Krishna’s Haat after all, wasn’t it?
Ah yes. Like the gopas, the gopis are naïve too. But they are women after all. So they haggle and bargain to their hearts’ content with the gopas because such things come naturally to them. Gentle banter peppers every transaction as they fall in love with anything and everything that they see in the Haat that night.
Of course, they shop from Krishna’s Hatari too. Every gopi does that. But Krishna is Krishna. He never quotes a price for his goods. He gauges the Bhav of each gopi carefully. And He gives her only those things that she truly deserves to own. And this is how the gopas, gopis and Krishna spend the entire night.
Hatadi Darshan
We get to do the darshan of Krishna’s Hatadi on the night of Goverdhan Puja. But we do not seat Krishna on his Singhasan on this day. We seat Him in the bottom centre of a three-tiered bungalow which is studded with golden and silver glass pieces. And we tie a cloth which has a circle and nine squares in it above the topmost smallest bungalow.
Hatadi Darshan
The dazzling light that emerges from the three-tiered bungalows is a symbolic replication of Krishna’s Hatadi. The twelve doorways in the Hatadi symbolize the 12 rashis. The circle in the cloth that we tie above the Hatadi symbolises the Megha Mandal and the Nava grahas reside in the nine squares around the Megha Mandal. Krishna’s seat at the bottom centre of the Hatadi is considered to be the Yagna Vedi.
It is believed that the Ritviks sit in the four directions. The cows, birds and other animal toys that we place in front of the Hatadi symbolize the rishis. The Keertankars symbolize the Gandharvas. The Chadidar represents the Kinnaras. And the sevaks who offer seva during the darshan protect and complete the yagna properly.
After the Hatadi Darshan
The actual yagna begins only after the darshan closes. The sevaks arrange several things like dried and fresh fruits, perfumes, toys, spices, vegetables, sweets, savouries, games etc in small heaps and recreate the ambience of Krishna’s Haat. Krishna and the Vrajwasis measured everything with a pair of balances and weights. So the sevaks keep a pair of golden balances and weights near Krishna’s Hatadi.
After creating this Haat bazaar, the game board of Chaupar, cowrie shells and wooden pawns are placed on the lowermost step that leads to Krishna’s seat. It is believed that Krishna loses all his ornaments and clothes to Radha while playing Chaupar with her all through this night. So the sevaks light an Akhanda Diya near the Hatadi.
The essence of the Hatadi
Krishna’s Haat is a yagna – in which we offer the things that please Krishna the most – our Bhakti, Bhav and Seva – without expecting anything in return. And like with the gopis, Krishna gives us only what we truly deserve – after carefully gauging our Bhav.
But before we engage in a yagna with Krishna, let’s ask ourselves some questions first. Yes. We want all the things that are displayed in Krishna’s Hatadi – his most special blessings. But have we done something – anything – to please Krishna? Why do the sevaks alone get the opportunity of creating and engaging in Krishna’s Haat? Why do people like us get to do only the darshan of the Hatadi? Are we worthy of receiving Krishna’s gift of grace as yet? No.
So when we are ready to begin our journey towards understanding Krishna first – He throws open myriad paths for us to walk on and allows us to choose a path that we love the most. But even here, we feel like giving up after a while because we suddenly realise that Bhakti, Bhav and Seva are extremely rigorous concepts that are practised with an abundance of unconditional love.
We understand the shallowness of our desires now. And wonder if we can ever connect to Krishna. Ah…yes, that is why people like us only get to do the darshan of the Hatadi. We are not yet worthy of receiving Krishna’s most special blessings….
But Krishna does send us empty-handed either. He blesses us all with some peace when we do the Hatadi darshan. And then He – Krishna waits. Patiently. For Time and Life to take over.
And when He sees the restlessness building up within our souls when we struggle through the experiences that Time and Life bring our way – Krishna – comes right back with a bang into our souls and enables us to connect more deeply with him. Slowly, over time we do reach a stage where nothing else matters to us anymore. It is enough if Krishna alone is with us.
And then on some mystic night – when we least expect it – He – Krishna – creates a Hatadi especially for us. He engages in a delightful game of Chaupar with us. He finds his Radha in our unconditional love, Bhav, Bhakti and Seva. So He willingly loses all that He has – to give us what we truly deserve – and this time around it is – His most special blessings – an abundance of Grace.
Yes, we do get more than we bargain for with Krishna. Always. And we can feel the Ananda coursing through our being when this Yagna called Hatadi comes to a beautiful neverending end on a dazzling mystic night…
Photo given by: Teerth & Aditi.
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