What happened to Radha?

 

Radha-Krishna - THE couple, in Indian mythology, that signifies love at a spiritual level. The courtship, the love, the connection…and poof! It was all there and then there was nothing.

Their connection was the epitome of love. The love so pure and so deep that marriage to another person didn’t diminish its value. It is said that Krishna met Radha even after marriage because he sought the companionship. They were soul-mates and institute of marriage didn’t get in the way of them seeking out who they were really meant to be with. Marriage was a practical, even political, arrangement. Love was something else.

It is not the wife and Krishna (Rukhmani) who we look up to even today. It is still Radha-Krishna. The temples, homes, books all have Radha-krishna idols. How ironic then that we bow our heads in their praise and understand their love and yet abhor anything in real life even close to that? Who are we cheating?

But, that’s the least of my issues. As I understand, we choose to follow things that suit us, that fall into our norms. We forget we are looking up to lovers. We go on judging real people while praising the Gods for doing the same, if not more.

The question I have is where did Radha disappear? Why isn’t there an after-the-Krishna story for Radha. The woman who is proclaimed to be the Goddess of Shakti (courage) left no trace? Did she live alone? Did she get married and live a loveless life? Did she fall in love again? Did she keep meeting Krishna (as is said) and how and where? What did she go through to be able to do that?

The adolescence of Krishna was the closet he got to being human. The fun, the color festival, the stealing, flirting with girls, endless hours of flute, infuriating his mother –all tell tale signs of a teenager. This is the part of his life colored with emotions of innocence, infatuation, love, mischief and they are the best parts. And Radha is a big part of it.

But, there’s no telling what happened to her. She is just a piece of Krishna’s youth. I wish there were (or is) a story of her life. Her life after Krishna, for better or worse. I always think that her story would be remarkable. If a few years with Krishna earned her a place with him forever, imagine her life story. If a few years were so meaningful that Krishna’s name is incomplete without her, imagine her life and its impact on others.