Kaliya Ghat is a place where Lord Krishna performed one of his famous pastimes, known as Kaliya Daman, or the subduing of the serpent Kaliya. Kaliya was a large, powerful, and envious serpent with a thousand hoods, of which 101 were most prominent. Along with his wives, the Nagapatnis, he lived in a deep pond called Kaliya Daha, or the Poisonous Lake of Kaliya, located within the River Yamuna.

In ancient times, Kaliya Ghat was one of the ghats, a series of steps leading down to a river, on the banks of the Yamuna. Over time, the river changed its course, and today, Kaliya Ghat lies at some distance from the Yamuna.

This area is also famous for being the place where the sage Shoubhri Muni was meditating under the waters of the Yamuna. Out of pride, Shoubhri Muni cursed Garuda, Lord Vishnu’s bird carrier, telling him that he would die if he ever came to this place to eat fish. Garuda, who thrived on snakes and fish, could no longer come near the area because of the curse. Kaliya, trying to avoid Garuda’s wrath, sought refuge in this lake. But because of Kaliya’s deadly poison, all the plants and animals around the lake died, except for one Kadamba tree.

Kaliya’s poison was so strong that it made the area around the lake highly toxic. The air was filled with poisonous vapors, and any bird flying over the lake would immediately fall into the water and die. All the trees and grass near the riverbank withered away due to the poison. The River Yamuna, which usually flowed peacefully, became dangerous and deadly because of the serpent’s presence.

One day, Krishna, who had come to the world to remove all harmful elements, saw the effects of Kaliya’s poison. He climbed a Kadamb tree on the riverbank. Interestingly, this was the only tree that had survived the poisonous environment, and it is said that the tree was either blessed by Krishna’s touch or had been preserved by Garuda because he knew Krishna would one day use it.

Krishna, after climbing the tree, tightened His belt and, with the strength of a wrestler, leaped into the poisonous lake. The river overflowed when Krishna hit the water, and the great black serpent Kaliya heard the noise. The serpent quickly realized someone was disturbing his home and rushed to confront Krishna.

When Kaliya saw Krishna, he was amazed by His beauty. Krishna’s dark skin glistened like a rain cloud, and His legs were as delicate as a lotus flower. Krishna smiled playfully, but Kaliya, despite seeing how wonderful Krishna looked, was filled with anger. He wrapped Krishna tightly in his powerful coils, trapping Him.

The people of Vrindavan, who loved Krishna dearly, were terrified when they saw Him in the grip of the giant serpent. They had dedicated their lives to Krishna and couldn’t bear to see Him in danger. The cows, calves, and all the people stood on the banks of the river, weeping and filled with fear for Krishna’s life.

As they watched helplessly, terrible omens began to appear: the earth shook, meteors fell, and everyone’s bodies trembled in fear. Nanda, Krishna’s father, and Yashoda, His mother, became even more worried when they realized Krishna had gone to the river without His elder brother Balarama. Although the people of Vrindavan didn’t fully understand Krishna’s divine powers, they loved Him more than anything and feared He would be defeated by the serpent.

While everyone was panicking, Balarama, who knew how powerful Krishna was, remained calm. He smiled because He understood that His younger brother would have no trouble defeating the serpent. But the people of Vrindavan, unaware of Krishna’s strength, continued to search for Him, following the trail of His footprints until they reached the river.

When they arrived, they were heartbroken to see Krishna trapped in Kaliya’s coils. Their grief deepened as they feared Krishna might be lost forever. Even mother Yashoda fainted in sorrow, while the others wept and cried out for Krishna. But Balarama, knowing there was no real danger, prevented them from entering the river.

Krishna stayed wrapped in Kaliya’s coils for about two hours, and the people of Vrindavan were on the verge of despair. But then, seeing how much pain His friends and family were in, Krishna decided to act. He expanded His body, making it so large that Kaliya could no longer hold Him. The serpent’s coils loosened, and Krishna broke free.

Kaliya, furious, raised his hoods, trying to strike Krishna with his venomous fangs. His eyes blazed with anger, and flames shot from his mouth. But Krishna was too fast for Kaliya. He dodged the serpent’s attacks and then jumped onto Kaliya’s hoods. Using the jewels on Kaliya’s hoods as a platform, Krishna began to dance.

As Krishna danced, pressing down on Kaliya’s hoods, the serpent grew weaker and weaker. The people of heaven, the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and demigods, were so pleased with Krishna’s performance that they showered Him with flowers, played drums, and sang praises.

With each step Krishna took, Kaliya’s strength diminished. Eventually, the serpent, completely exhausted, realized that Krishna was no ordinary child but the Supreme Lord Himself. Kaliya surrendered to Krishna, realizing he could no longer fight.

At this point, Kaliya’s wives, the Nagapatnis, rushed to Krishna and begged for mercy on behalf of their husband. They offered prayers to Krishna, acknowledging His greatness and asking Him to spare Kaliya’s life. They knew that Krishna’s punishment was actually a blessing, as it freed Kaliya from the burden of his sins.

Moved by their prayers, Krishna stopped His dance and forgave Kaliya. He ordered the serpent to leave the Yamuna and live elsewhere, where Garuda would not harm him. Kaliya, grateful for Krishna’s mercy, left the lake with his family, never to return.

After Kaliya’s departure, the river became pure and safe again. The plants and trees around the area came back to life, and the people of Vrindavan rejoiced, grateful to Krishna for saving them from the poisonous serpent.

Thus, the story of Kaliya Daman shows Krishna’s power and kindness. Even though Kaliya had caused great harm, Krishna gave him a second chance, showing that no matter how bad someone’s actions may be, the Lord’s mercy is always available to those who surrender.

Kaliya Ghat Location – Kaliya ghat, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh 281221