Sankari Khor

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Sankari Khor / सांकरी खोर

• This narrow passage-way lies between Brahma-parvat and Vishnu-parvat, and both gopas and gopis would make their way along it. After milking the cows, the gopas would carry the milk on kamvars, which is a bamboo stick with ropes attached to each end for carrying loads. They used this pathway to cross from one side of the hills to the other. Frolicsome Krishna would plunder the milk, yoghurt and butter of the jovial gopis here.
• Every year in the month of Bhadra on Shukla-trayodashi (the thirteenth day of the bright moon), budhi-lila is enacted here, as inaugurated by Shri Narayan Bhatt. Today this pastime is also enacted here annually on the occasion of Radhastami, the appearance day of Radhika.
• At this Dana Ghati, Shri Krishna and His gopa friends would become tax collectors and demand milk, yoghurt and butter as toll-tax from the gopis. When the gopis refused to give any tax, Krishna would forcibly plunder and relish their milk products.The gopis, being tired of these daily encounters, decided one day to retaliate strongly.
• They decided that on a chosen day they would all hide in the caves and dense kunjas on the hill on both sides of the narrow pathway. A few gopis would then cross Sankari-khor carrying pots of milk, yoghurt and butter on their heads. The plan was that the moment Krishna and His sakhas would stop them and try to plunder their load, the gopis would call out to their friends hiding nearby, who would at once descend from their hideouts. Then, under the leadership of Lalita, they would teach Krishna and His sakhas a good lesson.
• And so it happened that the next day thousands and thousands of gopis divided into groups and hid themselves in the dense kunjas and large caves around Sankari-khor. Then, as usual, a few gopis placed pots of milk and yoghurt on their heads and made their way towards Sankari-khor. Krishna, Madhu-mangal and the other sakhas obstructed their path and forcibly began to plunder their milk and yoghurt. At once, these gopis signalled the gopis who were hiding, and a wonderful pastime took place. Five to ten gopis forcefully caught hold of Krishna.
• Another five to ten caught hold of Madhu-mangal, and further groups captured Subala, Arjuna, Lavanga and the other sakhas. They slapped their cheeks till they were swollen. They then tied the tuft of hair on the back of their heads to the branches of the trees and asked them, "What pleasure is there in plundering our yoghurt? Will you ever do it again?" Madhumangal folded his hands and prayed at the feet of Lalita. "Please spare me. I was very hungry. I am a simple brahmana boy who fell under the influence of that fickle Krishna. I shall never behave like this again. The gopis thus taught the sakhas a lesson.
• Radhika, Vishakha and some other gopis had captured Krishna. They slapped His cheeks a few times and then forcibly dressed Him like a woman with a blouse and skirt. They even put vermilion in the parting of His hair, bangles on His arms, anklets on His feet, and so on. They covered half His face with a veil, placed a pot of yoghurt on His head and began to make fun of Him by demanding tax on the yoghurt.
• From the top of the hill, Lalita Sakhi aimed a stone at the pot of yoghurt on Krishna's head, breaking it and drenching His whole body. All the sakhis began to laugh and clap, and Shyama felt very ashamed. "Will You dare to demand tax on our yoghurt ever again?" they asked. "Hold Your ears and vow, `From today, I will never try to tax the gopis' yoghurt.." They forced Krishna to repeat this.