Radha-Krishna, the divine couple synonymous with an ageless, pure love are the simplest and yet most esoteric embodiment of the philosophy of Bhakti (devotion) in Hinduism. When Krishna plays his flute, the tunes are believed to pierce the heart of Radha, the foremost of his Sakhis (friends), like a fish-hook, and tug her close to Him. In the personalized Bhakti tradition, where the lord and the devotee share the same plain, as equals, the other side of this story is a beautiful one. It is not just Radha who yearns for Krishna. The sweetness in Krishna’s flute is the result of his longing for the damsel of Brija, Sri Radha. It is not just the devotee who needs the god, the god also seeks devotion because of the Bhakti (devotional) rasa (juice or emotion) that is released in such exchange. What you seek, is seeking you.
Seeing through this sensibility, the companionship of Radha- Krishna becomes more complex and resultantly more beautiful. They both become equals- the soul represented by Radha and the sole truth represented by Krishna, both pulling closer to each other. Such imagery in Bhakti relieves the devotee of any doubts. She becomes Radha, the beloved of Krishna, and is forever assured that her lord is guiding and looking for her. The visual expression of this exquisite idea is the Panchaloha bronze sculpture of Radha- Krishna you see here. From the slightly raised right foot of Radha, hinting that she is tip-toed to surprise her beloved, to the tenderness felt in her hand that is about to touch Krishna- each element in this bronze highlights a shared closeness between the two. It is also a simple reminder to us- the divine is just a step away, for the one who longs for Him.
The companionship of Radha-Krishna has been raised on a double-tiered platform, with an upturned lotus on the top. Adorning the plump and youthful physique of Radha is her short, skirt-like lehenga, a chunri, and traditional Indian ornaments. Her hairdo is elaborate, with two stylized birds, probably peacocks sitting on the back bun, in the form of two beautiful hair ornaments. In her left hand, Radha holds a small water pot, which she uses as an excuse to come and meet Mohan (another name for Krishna). Krishna’s godly form is also adorned with jewels and fineries. He too has a distinctive crown on his head, embellished with peacock motifs, framing his attractive face. The divine couple is the zenith of beauty- physical as well as spiritual, of which this mesmerizing bronze statue is literally, a solid proof.
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