The Divine Sewa of Gulab Khan in Barsana || बरसाना का गुलाब ख़ान: राधा रानी का सच्चा सेवक
In Barsana, just below the temple loft of Radha Rani, there is a samadhi on the side beneath the temple. It belongs to a Muslim man named Gulab Khan.
Gulab Khan was a sarangi player who became deeply attached to Radha Rani through his music. He lived in poverty, with torn clothes, no wife, and only one daughter. He spent his life playing the sarangi, and while playing, he would sing in devotion to Radha Rani. He even named his daughter Radha.
He used to sit near the Radha Rani temple, playing the sarangi while his little daughter danced beside him. Seeing their devotion, the temple priest began offering him food every day. Eventually, the priest asked him to stay near the temple and provided him shelter.
Gulab Khan’s daily routine continued—playing the sarangi, singing Radha Rani’s name, and his small daughter dancing with innocence and joy. People would gather, and through his melodious singing, they felt even more connected to Radha Rani.
As time passed and his daughter grew older, the temple priest approached Gulab Khan and said,
“Baba, your daughter is now a young woman. It does not look appropriate for her to dance here anymore. We advise you to get her married.”
Gulab Khan replied,
“How can I find someone for my daughter? Radha Rani will take care of her. She will arrange everything.”
The temple priest, along with other devotees, took full responsibility. They found a good match, arranged everything, and happily got Gulab Khan’s daughter married.
After she left, Gulab Khan sat to play his sarangi, but he could no longer hear the divine voice of “Baba,” nor did he feel the presence of Radha Rani. He soon fell into deep sorrow.
“My daughter was the one who reminded me of Radha,” he cried. “She danced and called me ‘Baba,’ and then I played. Now I cannot sing… I cannot find my swar.”
He would cry constantly, saying, “Radha’s daughter, where are you? My life existed because of you.” Gradually, he stopped singing and slipped into depression. One day, he disappeared. People searched for him everywhere, worried about where he might have gone. Some believed he moved away due to grief; others thought he may have left his body.
Time passed, and slowly people forgot about him.
One day, a priest was closing the temple doors when he suddenly saw Gulab Khan standing there.
Surprised and happy, the priest said,
“Gulab Khan! Where have you been? You look absolutely fine!”
Gulab Khan replied,
“One day, I was crying uncontrollably, wondering where Radha Rani was. My Radha was gone, and I was losing my devotion. While sitting in sorrow, a small girl from the temple dressed up beautifully came to me. She picked up my sarangi and said, ‘Baba, come… let’s play again. Today, the real music will begin.’
She took me behind the temple. There, Radha Rani appeared in the form of a beautiful little girl, dressed divinely. She said, ‘Come, Baba.’ And at that moment, a radiant light appeared from the sky. I entered the divine world of Radha and Krishna. Krishna was seated, and Radha was dancing, telling me to play my sarangi. I played, and she danced with grace.
I have now received sewa in God’s realm. I play the sarangi there every day. Today, God has sent me to tell all of you that I have been given permanent service at the feet of Radha Rani and Krishna.”
Saying this, Gulab Khan disappeared again and returned to the divine realm.
After this incident, the temple priests created a samadhi of Gulab Khan below the temple, in memory of the man whom Radha Rani and Lord Krishna took with them to perform sewa in their eternal abode.