An Ancient Friendship!

There are lots of friendship stories in Indian mythologies. They might not be just stories for stories. Like the one I am going to tell.

This is from Krishna’s life. When he was a student (Those days it was the Gurukula system, the olden day boarding school system where the student lives with the Guru-teacher- till he finishes his learning), he had a buddy called Kuchela. They both were from extremely opposite financial background.

When the studies were over, they part. Krishna becomes the King and Kuchela lives in poverty. His wife used to tell him

‘ The King is your friend, why don’t you go to him and ask for help?’

But Kuchela always had a hesitation, or may be he had a complex. How can he visit his friend - who is the King lives in luxury and wears the best – wearing his torn dress? And he wished to give him some present, but he had nothing.

But finally, Kuchela decided to visit Krishna. There went thousand thoughts inside his mind….will Krishna identify him? What if he ignores him? What if he cant get through the guards and meet Krishna?.......

He told his wife that he want to carry something as gift. There weren’t anything valuable left in that house and his wife made puffed/beaten rice out of some grains left in the house. Next day morning, Kuchela went to the palace. But he had a guilty feeling for taking that beaten rice with him as a gift to the King, who eats all the delicious dish. What if he won’t eat? What if he thorough it out?

When he reached the palace, Krishna was looking out through one of the windows and he saw Kuchela.

What did he do? Did let him in? Did he avoid him coz he was poor and dressed like a beggar? Was he ashamed of admitting such a man as his friend, that too openly? Or did he allow him to enter the palace and show his face (while Krishna sitting in the throne) ?

Krishna ran out of the palace in ecstasy and as soon as he met him he hugged him, though Kuchela was all sweaty. And Krishna grabbed the shabby pack of puffed rice and ate it just in front of him, standing where he was. Tears of happiness came out of Kuchela’s eyes.

(And of course, the King helped his childhood friend)

How beautiful friendships are, isn’t it?