23. Sankari khor

This is the famous place where Kṛṣṇa’s dana-lila takes place: where he asks the gopis to pay taxes, steals their milk products, and breaking their curd-laden pots. Here Kṛṣṇa’s gopas would face off with the delicate gopīs in argument and flirtatious exchanges.

In celebration of this occasion, the men from Nandagoan sat opposite to the men of Barṣāṇā, repeating the ancient songs of yore carrying forward the glorification of their personal ishtadevas (worshipable deities).

The buddhi-lila, namely the transcendental arguments between Kṛṣṇa and the gopis who are en route from Chiksoli village to Barṣāṇā. Nowadays the residents stand and shout at each other from atop the ravine. The lila concludes with the Matki lila, or the breaking of the earthen wares.

According to Vraja-bhakti-vilāsa, there are two mountains in Barṣāṇā – Brahmā and Viṣṇu. On the Viṣṇu mount is located Vilāsagarh and the rest of the mountain is Brahmācala. At the juncture of the two is Sankari Khor, where ‘dadhi dān līlā’ took place.

Sankari means ‘narrow’ and Khor/gali means ‘lane’. All ācāryas have sung the līlās of Sankari Khor:

Sankari gali is the lane where gopīs, carrying curd-pots on their heads, can only cross in single file, since the passage is narrow. Here, Śyāmasundar charges dān (toll or tax) from them! He, with his battalion of sakhās (friends), demands the toll if they want to pass! The gopis ask, “What tax?” Curd! Krishna and the gopas request, demand or even snatch the curds.

There is a prayer mantra with which the lila recital starts.

It means that the gopīs are coming, with curd-pots on their heads and Śrī Kṛṣṇa has blocked their way. We offer obeisances to this place, where the gopīs regularly traverse. (Vraja-bhakti-vilāsa 4.60)

The side of the hill named after Rādhārāṇī, on which she would sit, is lighter in color compared to the adjoining one which is called Śyāma pahadi (hillock), Śyāmasundar would sit on this side, impressing their skin colors upon the mount on which they sat. Firstly, one comes to Rādhā’s umbrella, next is Kṛṣṇa’s, and lastly Mansukha (Madhumangal)’s umbrella.

This is the dān līlā sthalī. Kṛṣṇa and his friends come from Nandgaon to collect curds from the gopīs of Barṣāṇā. The gopīs tied their chotis (sikha locks). First, Kṛṣṇa was tied, and down below was Mansukha. Mansukha called aloud, ‘O Kānāiya!…, come fast, help me, these gopīs have tied my hair…’

Śyāmasundar called back, ‘O idiot! How can I help you? I’ve also been tied up.’

The gopīs tied all the other sakhās’ locks also, so that no one could untie them.

The gopīs make it clear that no one is going to come to help them. If they surrender to Rādhārāṇī, only she only can grant them freedom.

All friends’ surrender to Śrīji and on Her order, the gopīs release them from bondage. Śrīji’s heart melts on seeing Śyāmasundar in agony. The gopīs feel that he and his friends are not worthy of any lesser treatment for the kind of mischief they play with them.

Presently, this līlā is enacted here on the third day from Rādhāṣṭami, that is, on Ekadāsī day and on Trayodaśī day, two days after the Ekadāsī, is celebrated Mataki-phod līlā. On this day, all gopas accompany Kṛṣṇa from Nandgaon to Sankari gali and Kṛṣṇa breaks the dadhi-mataki (curd-pot).

The līlā is like this – Śrīji and Her sakhīs come with curd-pots towards Sankari gali. Śyāmasundar questions them as to where they are going. As usual, the sakhīs rather than answering pose a counter-question, ‘Does it belong to your father? It’s none of your concern; we may carry our curds anywhere.’ Śyāmasundar starts walking with them, gossiping very sweetly. As they reach near Chiksoli village, He breaks their curd-pots. This act happens at Śyāma umbrella. This spot is still smooth and greasy and is a significant līlā-sthalī.

At Sankari khor, the marks of Kṛṣṇa’s hand and stick are clearly visible, which are over 5000 years old. This spot is most famous for ‘dadhi dān līlā’, though similar līlās have occurred at 2-3 other places also, which are: Dān Ghati in Govardhan and Vaṁśīvat in Vṛndāvana. Sankari khor is best known for this līlā, and since the same līlā is enacted here year after year, the hand and stick marks bring this divine pastime to life. Five days after the Rādhāṣṭami celebrations, the Gosvāmīs from Nandgaon come to Barṣāṇā and sing these glorious līlās of Yugal (Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa).

Dān līlā of Sankari khor