Govind Gopala

Govind, where are you? Mom Yashoda was looking for Govind, but he was nowhere close by.

The eastern winds were growing strong, with clouds as dark as the Vindhya mountains. The cowherds returned the cattle early, so they could have a play date with the young gopi girls, assisting their elders in the kitchen.

“Guys, have you seen Kandha..?” Yashoda mom was asking with a doubt in her voice.

“No ma’am, not since evening.”

Yashoda was concerned, but it was still not too dark outside. Govind may have gone out with  friends, for a swim in the river Yamuna, mom was contemplating.

“Mother Yashoda,” one gopi came, “your Govind is stealing butter,” she complained. She came with whole team of gopi mothers supporting her.

“You know, the other day I was sleeping near the verandah, waiting to catch Govind in action. God knows where he and the friends crept in from—all the butter on the hanging shelves in the foyer was gone, the pots destroyed, and on his way back, he even applied the butter to my face and that of my daughter-in-law.”

“Not just that, Yashoda Maiyya, he untied the calves and left the doors ajar. The cows had a field day feeding their calves, and there was abundant hay and water too.”

“No, my Kanha is too young. Where is he?”

Govind was still not found anywhere.

“Alright, Gopi ladies,” said Yashoda, “we have enough dairy to last a lifetime for entire Brindavan. Let me get you your containers.”

 Govind was seen playing his melodious Vamsi, as Yashoda opened the pantry doors, all flying grazing, leaping singing friends of all kinds, from forest were enjoying their meals.

“Oh Kandha!” Yashoda Maiyya was too happy to have found him, Kandha was in the walk-in pantry, sitting near the large window with all his forest mates.