Photo: Yan Krukau

Why is Lord Krishna dark?

We can only speculate. The earliest Krishna literature, the Mahabharata, tells tales of Krishna's adulthood. There, Draupadi is referred to as Krishna, the dark complexioned lady. That would make Krishna, the dark complexioned man.

devdutt.com - The colour of Krishna's skin - Devdutt

Is 10x salary enough to retire?

According to retirement-plan provider Fidelity Investments, the rule of thumb is to save 10 times your income if you want to retire by age 67. Sep...

Last updated Apr 29, 2022

How do I get rid of jowls and saggy neck?

There are several options for treating sagging jowls or reducing how saggy or droopy they appear. Surgical procedures, such as neck lifts, can...

Last updated May 12, 2022

Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly

The simple yet scientifically proven Wealth DNA method laid out in the report allows you to effortlessly start attracting the wealth and abundance you deserve.

Learn More »

Promotion

By Devdutt Pattanaik Mid-day

Published on 16th April, 2017, in Mid-Day.

In the Sanskrit Valmiki’s Ramayana, Hanuman describes Ram as ‘shyama-varna’, which means one of dark-complexion. In folk poetry, poets describe Krishna as ‘ghana-shyam’, as dark as monsoon clouds. Yet, in our most popular art, we find Ram and Krishna visualised in blue colour. So, we wonder, are they black, and blue, or only blue? One is met with a stony silence. In the old temples in the Gangetic plains, such as the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, Krishna images are carved of black stone, and they stand in stunning splendour, bedecked with flowers and fabric. Often, in stark contrast, the image of Radha is made of marble, or bronze. He the dark-one; she the fair one. However, in many new temples, people are increasingly choosing images of Krishna in marble over black stone. There are cave paintings suggesting two men on a chariot. Is that Krishna and Arjuna? We can only speculate. The earliest Krishna literature, the Mahabharata, tells tales of Krishna’s adulthood. There, Draupadi is referred to as Krishna, the dark complexioned lady. That would make Krishna, the dark complexioned man. This is about 2,000 years old. In Bhakti literature, that is less than a thousand years old, Krishna’s beauty becomes the object of veneration. He is increasingly linked to dark monsoon clouds and to blue lotuses. His dark complexion in the full moon night is the subject of poetry. The earliest images of Krishna are probably Indo-Greek coins, nearly 2,000 years old, showing a man holding a wheel. Then come the Gupta stone statues, about 1,500 years old, showing a hero fighting a horse, most probably Krishna fighting Keshin. The earliest paintings of Krishna probably come from miniature art that flourished around temples, like the patta-chitra around Jagannath Puri temple of Odisha. The image enshrined in the temple is made of wood and covered with paint, refreshed almost daily. Here, Jagannath, who is simultaneously Vishnu, Ram and Krishna, is painted with black soot. In the paintings made in nearby villages by artisans, Krishna is depicted in black colour. About 500 years ago, Persian miniature painting was introduced by the Mughals and became widely popular in North India, influencing the Pahari school of painting and the Pichhvai school of Nathdvara temples. Here, Krishna can be seen distinctly as blue: light blue of the day sky, not the dark blue of the sapphire. The images of Krishna, Ram and Vishnu, on the grand gopurams of South India, show them as blue, even though in early Tamil songs of the Sangam period there is reference to the dark beloved pastoral god, Mayon, believed to be an early form of Krishna. Folk songs repeatedly refer to the contrast between the dark Krishna and the fair Radha, or the dark Vishnu and the fair Shiva. When did the natural black become the supernatural blue? Does this something have to do with India’s infamous discomfort with the dark complexion? In China, the tanned complexion is seen as inferior, as it is indicative of the peasant who works in the sun. India too is an agricultural country and may have shared such prejudices. After all, the princess ‘untouched by the sun’ or a-surya-sparsha, is an object of fascination in folk tales.

Wandering in the forest during exile, and wandering in pastures with his cows, may have tanned Ram and Krishna. But, before the sun had its way, was their skin black, brown or blue?

Is cinnamon healthy for heart?

Cinnamon may also provide heart-healthy benefits, such as reducing high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. That's especially important for...

Last updated Apr 27, 2019

Which paintings are good for south wall?

In the South Wall as per Vastu Shastra, the best paintings are based on Nature. If you bring out the raw elemental imagery of fire, such as a...

Last updated Dec 14, 2018

Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly

The simple yet scientifically proven Wealth DNA method laid out in the report allows you to effortlessly start attracting the wealth and abundance you deserve.

Learn More »

Promotion

Which zodiac is silent?

Scorpios are emotional and know how to go after what they want, but they are also the quietest zodiac sign. Oct 2, 2022

Last updated Jul 2, 2022

What kills rats fast?

So, what is the fastest way to get rid of rats? Pest control is the most efficient method to get rid of rats quickly but the usage of mouse traps,...

Last updated Feb 6, 2019

Promotion

Which house shows wealth in astrology?

Hindu astrology considers the 2nd house as the house of accumulated wealth, and the 11th as the house of gains, these lords associated with the...

Last updated Feb 2, 2019

Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly

The simple yet scientifically proven Wealth DNA method laid out in the report allows you to effortlessly start attracting the wealth and abundance you deserve.

Learn More »

Promotion

What keeps bugs away outside at night?

Light Citronella Candles and Torches Citronella plants produce an oil that serves as a natural insect repellent. You can light citronella candles...

Last updated May 18, 2019