Column by Devdutt Pattanaik | India has many Krishnas

India does not have one Krishna, it has many. Each region, language, social class, and historical moment has shaped its own idea of who Krishna was, and what he meant.

Medieval Bhakti saints worshipped Krishna but they also reinvented him, through poetry, song, philosophy, theatre, and ritual. These Krishnas reflect local anxieties, political pressures, caste negotiations, gender ideals, and spiritual aspirations.

The Krishna avatar of Lord Vishnu at Sri Venkateshwara temple | Photo Credit: WikiCommons