On a beautiful moonlit night, Vrindavan was enchanted in a merry celebration. Kanha, dancing around the bonfire with Gopis added more charm to the night. But there was someone who was not enjoying this.
“I need to talk to you” Kritika held his arm and pulled him out of the garba circle.
“What are you doing, kanha?” she demanded
“Dancing! Cant you see it?”
“Ohh! So you are just dancing. But can’t you see, your ‘DANCING’ is hurting someone”
“Who am I hurting?If I may know?”
Kanha half smiled as he glanced at Radha, sitting alone beside a tree for he was fully aware of the answer.
“We both know it Kanha! Look at her face!”
“Radha? Really?” acting surprised he called out to Radha.
“Don’t tell her”
Kritika’s attempt to stop him failed. He walked towards Radha and sat in front of her
“Radha.. Did my dancing with Gopis hurt you?”
“No kanha, who told you that?”, she glanced at Kritika, who was now standing behind Kanha.
“Kritika. She says you get hurt if I dance with the Gopis” he raised his eyebrow
“Ignore her she makes up stories in her head”
Kanha could not take his eyes off her.He somehow controlled his blush to play along for a little longer. He wanted to cherish the immense love for him in Radha’s eyes which she was failing to hide. Although she tried hard, her scolding eyes towards kritika said it all.
“ Oh Really! You don’t feel bad when he is with the Gopis. But why does your face say otherwise?” Kritika was angry.
“ Why don’t you tell him now, when he is in front of you? If not, please don’t sob when I take him back to dance with the gopis. And this time, mind you, I will be joining in”
Kanha could not control his smile anymore, specially after seeing how jealous Radha was!
“Radha was right. You assume things Kritika. Lets go back.” he played along.
“No wait” Radha pouted and cued Kritika, who gave her a teasing smile and left them alone
“ Yes. I am hurt” Radha was sulking
“Why?” Krishna smiled a crooked smile
“I don’t like you going close to them”
“ Are you jealous, Radha?”
“Huh No!……..Yes”
“ But why?” Kanha was now grinning
“ You don’t know why?”
“No” he acted
“The whole Vrindavan knows it, but the only one who should know, doesn’t”
“Thats why I want you to tell me”
“ Do I really need to say it ”
“Yes” Krishna was not going to give up his chance to hear those magical words
“ I am jealous because…”
“Because?” he raised an eyebrow
“Because I………” she struggled.
“I love you too” Kanha completed her sentence, surprising her and bringing the sweetest smile he had ever seen on her face.
He held her hand and sat besides her taking a backrest at the same tree stem and looking up at the night sky.
A while after cherishing the moment he asked,
“ Aren’t these stars beautiful”
“ Yes” Her smile not leaving her face
“ Do you think the moon needs to be jealous of ANY of them”
“I know what you want to imply,Kanha” she rolled her eyes, then started to worry“ But what if I am not the moon, what if I am one of the stars?”
“ Then, the moon needs to be jealous of one of them”
“ You and your charming lines!” Radha grinned
And the whole Vrindavan was now filled by the fragrance of the beautiful love story that just bloomed!
I write.
