September 3, 2010
Coimbatore Campus
Jai Bolo Sri Krishna Kiiii …
Haathi Ghoda Paalki … Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki …
Tsamina Mina Zangalewa Cuz … This is Amrita Tsamina
Mina Eh Eh Waka Waka Eh Eh Sri Krishna …
Happy Birthday to You, Krishna …
Traditional slogans in praise of Sri Krishna as well as those adapted from popular culture marked this year’s Gokulashtami celebrations at the Coimbatore campus. A blend of the old and the new, the day saw young students on campus celebrate every moment to the fullest.
This year, as in all previous years, Sri Krishna Jayanthi celebrations on campus began early. Soon after Sahasranama, a group of students and faculty took an idol of the Lord across campus singing His glory.
Around 9:00 am, richly decorated floats from various departments marched past, depicting various scenes and messages from the life of Sri Krishna. Little children and Amrita students dressed up as ancient characters, and walked beside the floats. Groups of singing and dancing students accompanied them. The procession that started at the Gautama Bhavanam hostel at one end of the campus ended at the sports ground on the other end.
Floats were ingeniously crafted; a float that depicted Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhana mountain to protect his people and cattle from the rains caused by Lord Indra was made by the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
“We used a simple rope and pulley mechanism to lift the mountain,” shared C. Lakshmikanthan, Assistant Professor in the Department, who guided students to build it. “We used ordinary water pumps to get rain.”
“It feels really good to get involved in celebrations like these,” stated Manikandan, a first student, who is studying for his B.Tech. degree in Mechanical Engineering. “I think it may only be here that we get a chance to have fun associated with traditional celebrations like these. I thoroughly enjoyed the day’s events.”
Yet another highlight of the day was the satsang by Smt. Pandurangan. A scholar and a popular speaker, she has given spiritual discourses on the Puranas and the scriptures since she was fifteen. “Lord Krishna is the icon for the youth,” she told the gathering. “He helps us erase our ego.” She asked students to find a purpose in their life and develop faith as strong a banyan tree.
The satsang was followed by various cultural events that were organized at several venues around the campus. Shared Anjana Anand, second year student from the Amrita School of Communication, “It was all fun out there. We enjoyed the cultural events.”
The day ended with a bhajan session that went past midnight until 2 am. “This time, we had a real surprise awaiting us after the bhajans,” shared Vishnu K. Nair, who works on campus. “Every year bhajans end with a scene showing baby Krishna in a cradle. This year they enacted a scene of Vasudevar taking away baby Krishna from Devaki; it was different and interesting.”
