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Radha

In Hindu mythology, the mistress of the god Krishna throughout that period of his life when he lived among the many cowherds of Vrndavana. Radha was the spouse of another gopa (cowherd) however was the most beloved of Krishna's consorts and his constant companion. Within the bhakti (devotional) motion of Vaishnavism, the girl, Radha, symbolizes the human soul and the male, Krishna, the divine.

The allegorical love of Radha has been given expression in the lyrical poetry of many Indian languages. In Bengal, many poets composed such poetry, including the supremely lyrical Govinda Das. The Bengali saint Caitanya was mentioned to be an incarnation of the two lovers; he was Krishna on the inside and Radha on the outside. Caitanya additionally composed many lyrics celebrating the divine love, which have not survived. The Gita govinda by Jayadeva was a favorite supply of inspiration for the later Rajasthani and Pahari miniature painters, in whose works Radha is seen ready for Krishna to return with the cows in the twilight or sitting with him in a forest grove engaged in amorous play. The bronze pictures of Krishna playing the flute that are enshrined in temples are sometimes accompanied, notably in the northern and Japanese elements of India, by photographs of his beloved Radha, and she is also worshiped.