in 2000–1 so that I could work intensively on this project. I am grateful to all these
organizations and institutions for their support.
Very special thanks to Sunita Singh, friend and research associate, without
whom I could not have conducted the research on which this chapter is based.
Special thanks as well to my husband, William C. French, who helped me conduct
interviews and collect film footage about Ka ̄ rtik and Ka ̄ rtik pu ̄ja ̄in autumn of 1998.
3 Normal discrepancies between lunar and solar calendars mean that dates calcu-
lated by the solar calendar will not consistently correspond year after year to
particular dates calculated by the lunar calendar. In addition, since the lunar year
is about ten days shorter than the solar year, an intercalary month is inserted into
the lunar year every two to three years to correct the discrepancy. When this
happens the month of Ka ̄ rtik can fall quite a bit later than it does in years that are
not intercalated.
4 Skanda Pura ̄n.a 2.4.1–36; Padma Pura ̄n.a 6.88–6.117.
5 For more on Ka ̄ rtik and auspiciousness, see Pintchman 1999.
6 For more on the ca ̄turma ̄sa, see McGee 1987: 729–31 and 774–8. McGee also notes
that the twelfth (dva ̄das ́ı ̄) and full moon are also acceptable beginnings for the
ca ̄turma ̄sa.
7 For more on Govardhan and Govardhan pu ̄ja ̄, see Toomey 1994; Vaudeville 1989;
and Hawley 1999.
8 For more on Krishna Lı ̄la ̄/lı ̄la ̄as both playful activity and dramatic reenactment see
Hawley 1981 and Kinsley 1979.
9 This type of religious practice in which devotees assume the identities of the gopı ̄s
or other divine actors involved in the drama of Krishna’s life is in keeping with many
other forms of Krishna devotionalism, which also emphasize role playing or play-
acting as a vehicle for expressing one’s devotion. See Kinsley 1979, especially
chapter three (122–204), and Haberman 1988.
10 In John S. Hawley’s research on ra ̄sa-lı ̄la ̄performances in Braj, the term ra ̄sa-lı ̄la ̄is
also used to indicate both the ra ̄sa-lı ̄la ̄episode itself and the entire lı ̄la ̄of Krishna’s
life enacted in liturgical drama. See Hawley 1981 and 1983, chs. 6 and 7.
11 Kinsley notes an emphasis on bodily appearance in Krishna devotion (1979: 77):
“In every Vais.n.ava-Krishna work, be it devotional, poetic, or theological, Krishna’s
physical appearance is doted upon.... The attitude of the devotee should be like
that of the gopı ̄who cursed the creator for having given her eyelids that prevented
her seeing Krishna constantly.”
12 The sehara ̄is a type of headpiece that grooms wear at the time of the wedding. The
mention of the sehara ̄here suggests Krishna’s upcoming wedding.
13 Pı ̄ta ̄mbaris a type of yellow garment associated especially with Krishna.
14 Pa ̄nis a mixture of betel nut, spices, and other additives rolled up in a betel leaf and
chewed for enjoyment. Benares is particularly known for its excellent pa ̄n.
15 Bhaju man Govinda, bhaju Gopa ̄l. This refrain repeats throughout the song. For
stylistic reasons, however, I have chosen to omit the repetitions.
16 Krishna here is indicating that a pujari(a ritual functionary) residing on the banks
of the Ganges River put the tilakon his forehead.
17 Chewing pa ̄nreleases a red-colored juice that stains whatever it touches, especially
thepa ̄n-chewer’s mouth and teeth.
18 A dhotiis a type of cloth that is wound around the hips; one end is passed between
the legs and tucked in at the waist. The implication here is that Krishna is wearing
hispı ̄ta ̄mbar, a garment that the song implies is suitable for a groom to wear.
19 These are the months falling from roughly mid-December to mid-February.
the month of ka ̄rtik and women’s ritual devotions 341