Pilli Pokhar

There is a famous pastime that is connected to this sacred lake. One day Radharani, accompanied by Her friends, went to Nandagrama where She met Krishna’s mother Yashoda Mayi. Upon seeing the exquisite beauty and cultured behavior of Radharani, within her heart Yashoda Mayi yearned that Radha should become her daughter-in-law, by getting Her married to her darling son Krishna. Yashoda Mayi was so carried away with the idea, that she mixed some yellow turmeric paste and began applying it to Radharani’s hands, as is the custom when the would-be-bride visits the house of her future mother-in-law. After feeling greatly honored by the affection shown by mother Yashoda, Radha left with Her friends for Varsana. Observing the bright yellow color of Her hands, Radharani began to feel rather embarrassed and began to ponder what the people of Varsana, and especially Her family members might think if She arrived home with the yellow colored hands of a would-be-bride. Therefore, Radharani rushed to the nearby lake known as Piyala-sarovara and diligently began washing off all the yellow or pili colored tumeric from Her hands. Immediately after Radha had washed Her hands, the water in the lake turned a very bright yellow. Due to this, the lake became celebrated as Pili Pokhara, meaning the ‘yellow colored lake’.
This area around this lake is also known as Pilu Khora because Radha and Krishna used to pick pilu fruits from the sacred pilu trees at this place. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it says. “On the northern side of Banukhora is Piyala-sarovara where Radha and Krishna performed various sports. At this place the ‘Divine Couple’· along with their associates became happy to see the beauty of the great jiyala trees. It was here on the pretext of picking pilu fruits that Radha and Krishna enjoyed each other’s company, hence it became known to everyone as Pilu Khora.”

Surrounding this pond are pélu trees that produce fruits in abundance. On the pretext of collecting pélu fruits, Çrématé Rädhikä would come here to perform varieties of playful pastimes. Çré Kåñëa would also come here from Nandagaon and enact many pastimes with Her. Once, the unmarried daughter of Kértidä, Çrématé Rädhikä, and Her sakhés went to Nandagaon to see Yaçodä-maiyä. Charmed by Çrématé Rädhikä’s beauty and qualities, Yaçodä-maiyä desired in her heart to marry Rädhikä to her son Kåñëa and thus have Her as her daughter-in-law. So great was her desire that she painted Kiçoré Rädhä’s hands yellow. Rädhikä’s heart became very happy but, as She returned to Her father’s house in Varsänä, She became quite embarrassed. She washed and scrubbed Her hands in this pond, and the pond’s water turned yellow. This pond is therefore called Péré-pokhara or Pélé-pokhara, “the yellow pond”. It is also called Piyäla-kuëòa because piyäla trees surround it.