ESPARANCE VILLAGERS COME TOGETHER
FOR KRISHEN LEELA
By Seeta Persad
Newsday
August 12, 2001
Page 34
Over 300 villagers attached to the Esparance Vishnu Temple of Esparance Village, San Fernando, are coming together today to launch the revival of their seven-day dramatic production for the religious event, 'Krishen Leela'.
President of the temple, Donell Jagmohan told the executive members of the temple that the response to the 2001 event was tremendous. He expressed his amazement at the financial and moral support of the temple followers and the villagers at large. He noted that after an absence of fifteen years this drama is being revived.
Jagmohan told Newsday that the drama of 'Krishen Leela' is based on the pastimes of the Hindu God, Lord Krishna who is believed to have lived on earth in a previous age. He noted that the Hindu text the Bhagvat Gita contains stories about Lord Krishna.
This year's Krishen Leela will feature many of the young people of the Esparance Village who are enjoying the long end of year vacation. Jagmohan said that each day of this drama series will deal with different stories that will complete the tale of Lord Krishna. The first day's drama will tell of the birth of Lord Krishna. In this play, the audience will see where mother Devaki gave birth to Lord Krishna. As the story goes, at one time in India there was a wicked king named Kansa who imprisoned his father in order to have the kingdom. He was abusive to the common people, ordering them to work and bring all their grain to the palace. The people prayed to Lord Vishnu to end their problems and the answer to their prayers came when Kansa's sister Devaki got married. The gods told Kansa that the 8th child of Devaki would destroy him. Kansa flew into a rage and imprisoned his sister and her husband.
As the drama of Krishen Leela unfolds the audience will see the enactment of the story of Lord Krishna live on stage.
As the drama continues on the 4th day, the audience will see how the baby Krishna grew up in Mathura among his friends. As a young boy he organized many pranks that got him into trouble. His mother would spank him with a whip much to the amusement of the villagers.
On the 5th, 6th and 7th days the drama moved on to when Lord Krishna, (now a full grown man) and his brother Bala Rama leave Mathura and journey to Brindraban to destroy the wicked King Kansa. The Esparance Vishnu Temple's drama will end on August 18th with the burning of the image of Kansa.