She also excitingly commissioned new gopi dolls for her granddaughters – she wanted to give them a birthday gift to match the Krsna doll they already had, and asked me to create two more gopi friends as well as Radharani.
Well you can imagine the burst of joyous creativity this inspired!
I worked on Lalita and Vishaka because I was so attracted to their descriptions, and also made Campakalata, after looking up the description of the Campaka flower.
To create artwork I did some research, and I hope you will forgive my literal interpretations. It may not be precisely correct, but it was helpful to me in creating the really sweet dolls I have made.
Description of The Eight Principal Gopis
- Lalita devi – 14yrs 8 months & 27days (older than Radha)
Constant companion of Srimati Radharani. She has a beautiful bright yellow complexion
Wears a dress the colour of peacock feathers.
Carries a parasol for RK
Decorates Them with flowers & decorates Their cottage when they rest at night.
- Visakha devi – 14 yrs 2 months & 15 days (same age as Radharani)
Her garments are decorated with stars
Complexion, cream colour with a tinge of red.
Likes to dress & decorate Radha & the gopis
Likes to be a messenger between RK
Expert at joking with Krishna
- Campakalata 14yrs 2 months & 13 & ½ days (younger than Radha by 1 day)
Complexion like the yellow campaka flower
Garments the color of a blue-jay’s
Expert at collecting fruits, flowers & roots from the forest.
Expert cook – expert at making various kinds of candy.
She can skillfully fashion things from clay with her hands.
Seva is to offer jeweled necklaces and to fan with a camara.
- Citra-devi 14 yrs 7 months 14 days (younger than Radharani by 26 days)
Complexion like saffron
Garments the color of crystal
Her seva is bringing cloves & garlands
She can nicely make various kinds of nectarean beverages.
Expert in playing music on pots filled with varying degrees of water.
Especially expert at gardening
She is the leader of the gopis who collect transcendental herbs and medicinal creepers from the forest (they don’t collect flowers or anything else)
- Tunga vidya 14yrs 2 months & 22 days (15 days younger than Radha)
Complexion color of kumkuma
Wears white garments
Seva is dancing and singing, she is a celebrated music teacher expert at playing the vina & singing in the style known as marga.
Expert in dancing, drama, literature and all other arts & sciences.
- Indulekha 14yrs 2 months & 10 & ½ days ( 3 days younger than Radha)
Has a tan complexion
Wears the color of pomegranate flower
Often serves K by bringing nectar-like delicious meals.
Seva is fanning with chamara fan
Expert at stringing various kinds of wonderful necklaces, gemology & weaving various kinds of cloth.
- Ranga devi 14yrs 2 months & 4 & ½ days ( 7 days younger than Radha)
Complexion the color of a lotus filament
Garments are red
Expert in the use of perfumes & cosmetics and aromatic incense.
She carries coal during the winter and fans the divine couple in the summer.
Also her & her friends are able to control the lions, deer & other wild animals in the forest.
- Sudevi 14yrs 2 months & 4 days
She is the sweet and charming sister of Ranga devi, slightly older by ½ day (twin)
So similar to Ranga devi that they are often mistaken for one another.
Complexion colour of lotus stamen
Wears colour of the red jaba flower (hibiscus)
Seva is to bring water
Arranges Radha’s hair, decorates Her eyes with mascara and massages Her body with scented oils.
Expert in training male & female parrots.
Expert sailor, knows how to start fires & keep them burning and knows which flowers blossom with the rising of the moon.
If you would like to get a copy of this to print or store for later, you can download the document Description of The Eight Principal Gopis HERE.
Because this is a super interesting topic – who can ever get tired of the Gopi Companions of Srimate Radharani, I am working on a new set of all 8 cheif gopi companions of Radha!