Love Longings
by Fattu. From the Bihari Sat Sai series
Late 18th century AD.
Surrounded by her family members and friends, how does Radha express her love for the young Krishna who is sixteen years junior to her? Bihari writes:
Having first looked at me with greedy eyes,Hidden behind the hem of her veil,And then craftily touching her shadow for a moment with mine,The graceful maiden now walks away."
In Indian art love is often expressed by signs and symbols. A woman in love expresses her desire by casting side-long glances, scratching her ears, or touching her ornaments. Seeing Krishna suddenly, Radha momentarily stops, touches her chin, looks at Krishna, lets her shadow fuse with his, and walks off. Love is subtly conveyed without much fanfare. Love is like a fragrance to be felt; it is not like an ornament to be displayed. But love does not go unnoticed; already whispers have started in the background with the Sakhis (friends) talking about in the doorway, with the two woman, a young and an old one, discussing it in the balcony. Fattu carries us from the closed space of a courtyard to the deep space of the rolling hills.
Life is always fleeting, like a damsel walking away. The shadows unite as life is ephemeral, momentary. We see a glipse of thr Almighty. We express our love for Him only in a fraction of a second. Love is eternal, its expression momentarily.
Having first looked at me with greedy eyes,Hidden behind the hem of her veil,And then craftily touching her shadow for a moment with mine,The graceful maiden now walks away."
In Indian art love is often expressed by signs and symbols. A woman in love expresses her desire by casting side-long glances, scratching her ears, or touching her ornaments. Seeing Krishna suddenly, Radha momentarily stops, touches her chin, looks at Krishna, lets her shadow fuse with his, and walks off. Love is subtly conveyed without much fanfare. Love is like a fragrance to be felt; it is not like an ornament to be displayed. But love does not go unnoticed; already whispers have started in the background with the Sakhis (friends) talking about in the doorway, with the two woman, a young and an old one, discussing it in the balcony. Fattu carries us from the closed space of a courtyard to the deep space of the rolling hills.
Life is always fleeting, like a damsel walking away. The shadows unite as life is ephemeral, momentary. We see a glipse of thr Almighty. We express our love for Him only in a fraction of a second. Love is eternal, its expression momentarily.
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