Holdol

Some 25 years ago, I still remember my parents preparing some village-like scene on the eve of Janamashtami. My father would create a hollow space around five feet and fill it up with mud and sand. My Mom would fill it with little water. Then she would make a water body and a snake with five heads looking forwards she calls it a 'sheshnaag'.

One beautiful baby boy in dancing pose over its head and blue coloured strips showing Jwar Bhata. On the other side, Dad would depict snow clad mountains using cotton and cone shaped chocolate paper with a sun made from haldi. Among the waves created, he would make a man with some jute made a bowl with a small baby boy inside. He is depicted lifting the bowl over his head and only his face and neck visible above the level of water. 

Today when I explain the birth story of Lord Krishna to my son, I reminiscence that beautiful creative 'holdol' as my parents call it.