“Red haired amateur palmist girl reading Krishna’s fortune near Govardhan”
"Red Haired Amateur Palmist Girl reading Krishna's Fortune", Seattle, 1976, Gouache Watercolour, Mumbiram

The good-hearted girl wants to read Krishna’s fortune. It is clearly a ruse and an excuse to hold Beloved Krishna’s hand. Krishna is clearly amused.

In Mumbiram’s imagination Krishna devotees come from all colours and creeds. They do not have to be gopis (cowherd girls of Vrindavan) or even Indian village girls.

They are mostly exotic ‘Pulindya’ women of the forest near Govardhan Mountain in Krishna‘s land. Their relationship with Krishna was often marked by overfamiliarity and audacity. In esoteric Krishna theology this is considered ‘raganuga bhakti’ or spontaneous loving devotional service.

Mumbiram sees his position in Goloka as that of a go-between who brought the Pulindya people to associate with Krishna.

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