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Krishna Janmashtami is a festival celebrated by the people of Hindu religion every year. It is celebrated as a birth anniversary of the Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna is a Hindu God who was born as a human on the earth to save the life as well as remove the sufferings of his devotees. It is believed that Krishna was 8th avatar of the Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna is known by many names like Govinda, Balgopal, Kanha, Gopal, etc (around 108). According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna is worshiped by the people of Hindu religion from the ancient time for his different roles and teachings (such as Bhagavad Gita).
According to the Hindu calendar, Lord Krishna was born on Ashtami (8th day) in the Krisna paksh in the month of Shravan at dark midnight. Lord Krishna took birth on this earth for his devotees and performed various roles like teacher, mentor, philosopher, God, lover, supreme power, etc. Hindu people worship statue of Lord Vishnu and various forms of the Krishna daily. He is a God with a flute (Bansuri) and a peacock wing on the head. Krishna is very famous for his Rasleelas and other activities during his human birth.
We celebrate Janmashtami with big enthusiasm, preparation and happiness every year whether in the month of August or September. People celebrate Janmashtami (also called as Saatam Aatham, Gokulashtami, Sri Krishna Jayanti, etc) with full devotion, joy and dedication. It is celebrated annually on eighth day in Bhadrapada month. People keep fast, do puja, sing devotional songs, and perform Dahi Handi, Raas Lila, and other activities for grand celebration in the honour of Lord Krishna.
Krishna Janmashtami 2024
Krishna Janmashtami (Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna) 2024 will be celebrated by the Hindu people all over India as well as abroad on 26th August 2024.
Krishna Janmashtami 2024 Special
This year the festival of Janmashtami was celebrated on Saturday 26th August. The festival is celebrated by Hindus to commemorate the birth of Lord Sri Krishna.
Markets were overcrowded with curious shoppers looking for statues of Sri Krishna and other veneration items. Schools were also bustling with activities. In morning, children could be seen all dressed up as Krishna and Radha. Several events were performed in the schools by the children and management.
Students did several performances, dressed up as Lord Krishna and his companion Radha. They enthusiastically enjoyed the joyful celebration to express their love and devotion towards their beloved God.
Every Krishna temple was beautifully decorated with coloured lights and flower garlands; moreover, constant chanting of bhajana and Bhagvad Gita made the celebrations all more ecstatic and spiritually enlightening.
A grand celebration of the festival was done in Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna where it was celebrated for two days, beginning on 25rd August. The municipal corporation of Mathura had made all possible efforts to decorate the entire city with LED lights and coloured lights and look clean.
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and several of his cabinet ministers visited Mathura to oversee the arrangements and also to celebrate the festival.
Several cultural programs were held at Mathura by more than 1000 artists from Gujarat, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Movies based on the life and teachings of Sri Krishna were shown to the devotees and tourists from different parts of the world. Many painting and rangoli competitions were also organized.
In wake of the instructions issued by the Uttar Pradesh’s Director General of Police, the department had made adequate security arrangements in the city.
Streets covering a radius of 4 Kms around Sri Krishna birth place in Mathura were illuminated by around 450 LED Lights. The Municipal Corporation had also increased the daily shifts of sweepers to ensure cleanliness in the city. Dustbins were also placed at various locations and people, tourists were requested to do not litter the streets.
The ritual of Dahi Handi in Mumbai was celebrated on the day following Sri Krishna Janmashtami. The streets were filled with Gopalas, who form human pyramid and curious onlookers who waited the moment when one among them will break the earthen pot of curd.
Puja Muhurat on Krishna Janmashtami 2024
The whole duration of puja on Krishna Janmashtami in 2024 is for 45 mins. Puja timing would start at 12.07 am in the dark midnight and end at 12.52 am in the night.
Legends
The legend of the Krishna Janmashtami belongs to the years back era of king Kansa. Long years ago, Kansa was a king of Mathura. He was a cousin brother of sister Devaki. He loved his sister from deep heart and never made her sad. He had heartily participated and enjoyed in the marriage of his sister. He was going to see off his sister with her husband to the house of her in-laws. However, once he got a warning from the hidden sound in the sky saying that “Kansa, the sister you are loving so much would be the reason of your death a day. The eighth child of the Devaki and Vasudeva would kill you.”
Soon, he got warning, he order his guards to arrest his sister and brother-in-law in his own jail. He started behaving with cruelty to both of them including all the people of Mathura. He announced that “I would kill all the child of my sister to remove my killer from the way”. His sister gave birth to her first child, then second, third and seventh who were killed one by one by Kansa. Devaki got pregnant with her eighth child means Krishna (incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Lord Krishna took birth on Ashtami (eighth day) in the month of Shravan in the mid dark night in Dwapara Yuga. From that day, people started celebrating Krishna Janmashtami or Krishnashtami every year on the same day.
When Lord Krishna took birth, a miracle happened, doors of the jail got opened automatically, guards were slept and a hidden sound warned Vasudeva about the way to save Krishna. Vasudeva took Krishna into a small basket and went a long distance from a big ocean in the dark mid night to his friend, Nand at Gokul. He crossed a story and rainy night where Sheshnaag helped him. He exchanged his son with the girl child of his friend (Yashoda and Nand baba) and returned to Kansa jail. All the doors became closed and guards awake and messaged to the Kansa that Devaki had given birth to a girl child. Kansa came and tried to kill that girl child, soon she flew in the sky and warned him that your killer is me, your killer is growing at very safe place and would kill you whenever your time would complete.
According to the Hindu Mythology, Lord Krishna was the 8th incarnation of the Lord Vishnu. Child Krishna was growing gradually in the Gokul in the safe hand of Yashoda and Nand. Later he ended all the cruelty of Kansa and made his parents free from the jail of Kansa. Gokulwasi were very happy by the various naughty Leelas of the Krishna. People living in the Gokul celebrate this festival as Gokulashtami.
Fast on Shri Krishna Janmashtami
Married women keep a very hard fast on the day of Krishna Janmashtami in order to get a child in the future same as Lord Krishna. Somewhere, unmarried women also keep fast for the same reason and get lots of blessings. They do not eat food, fruit and water and keep Nirajal fast for whole day and night till puja complete in the mid night. Women generally break their fast (also known as Paran) on next day after sunrise when Ashtami Tithi and Rohini Nakshatra become over. According to the Hindu Mythology, a women can break her fast when any one of two (either Ashtami Tithi or Rohini Nakshatra) become over however she should wait if no one of two (neither Ashtami Tithi nor Rohini Nakshatra) become over.
The duration of fast on the Krishna Janmashtami may increase (one or two days) according to the end of timing of the Ashtami Tithi and Rohini Nakshatra. Generally, women break their fast in one day in the next morning after sunrise if they do not tolerate fast for two days.
Krishna Janmashtami Celebration
Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated in many regions of the India with lots of activities in order to commemorate the birth of Lord Krishna. Devotees make a colourful Jhula in the home and temple and decorate with flowers and leaves to honour the Lord Krishna after birth. Somewhere, it is celebrated by organizing the Ras Lila and Dahi Handi to a great level to show the dramatic performance of the life of Krishna. A little boy is decorated as a Krishna to perform the Rasa lila and Dahi Handi. Here we would see various ways of celebration according to the place, rituals and beliefs.
Celebration in Mathura
Mathura is the birth place of the Lord Krishna where people become highly eager when date of Krishna Janmashtami comes closer. Mathura is very famous for its unique celebration way of Janmashtami. Devotees give bath to the statue of infant Krishna, decorate and offer Chhappan Bhog to the God (a plate having collection of fifty-six dishes). After the complete puja, this Prasad is distributed among devotees. At this day, whole city gets decorated with flowers, jewelleries and lights. People of Mathura celebrate this festival in traditional way and do a huge preparation for Jhanki. All the children and elders take part in the in the Jhanki focusing the childhood scenes of the Krishna.
Celebration in Dwarka
In Dwarka, it is celebrated by the people with immense joy and happiness. Dwarka is a kingdom of Lord Krishna. People here celebrate Krishna Janmashtami by organizing the act of dahi-handi. They actively participate in the celebration with full vigour. Many strong people get together and make a pyramid. A small boy (form of Krishna) climbs to the top of pyramid to break the earthen pot having dahi. People who involved in making pyramid have to bear a constant gush of water. A large crowd of common people wait eagerly to see the broken pot.
People enjoy eating delicious meal with families and relatives by getting together. They prepare variety of sweets made by milk, butter and ghee to distribute among people and enjoy. Dwarkadhish temple in the Dwarka becomes centre of attraction. Devotees go to the temple and worship Lord Krishna on Krishna Janmashtami to get blessings. It is considered that Dwarka was comprised by the supreme architect, Vishwakarma during the time of Lord Krishna.
People decorate all the statues of the Hindu deity in the temple and keep cleanliness. They decorate statues with precious ornaments and new clothes. People take bath in the early morning, do Mangala Arti and then perform act of Bhoga or food offerings (made up of milk products) to God. After that, other devotees are allowed to take Darshan.
After the birth of Krishna at 12 am in the midnight, devotees start singing and dancing with the phrase “Nand Gher Anand Bhaio, Jay Kaanha Laal Ki”. People generally enjoy for next one or two hours and then go to home. Dahi Handi is the most important activity on this occasion especially in the Mumbai (Maharashtra). People sing a song like “Govinda Ala Re” while performing the Dahi Handi performance. It brings passion and attraction to the celebration and whole streets in the Mumbai becomes full of crowd.
Celebration in Vrindavan
Vrindavan is a historical place related to the life of Lord Krishna. People living here celebrate Janmashtami with big enthusiasm. A most famous Banke Bihari Temple is there where people celebrate birthday of Lord Krishna with huge preparations, proper lighting and decorations. They sing devotional songs and recite mantras, do raasleela, etc. A huge gathering of devotees from all over country takes place to see the variety of grand performance held there by the professional artists.
Significance and Ritual of Krishna Janmashtami
As the married life begins, every couple wishes to have a unique child for whole life. However, all the couple get blessed with this wish, someone gets early and someone gets later due to natural reasons. All the married women keep fast on the day of Krishna Janmashtami to get blessed with the special gift of motherhood. It is considered as people who keep fast and do puja with full belief on this day, would really get blessing of a child. Some unmarried women also keep fast for the same reason to get a nice child in future. The custom of fast and puja with full devotion is performed by both husband and wife to be more effective.
People wake up in the early morning before the sunrise, take a ritual bath, get ready in new and clean clothes and do puja in front of the Ishta Deva with full faith and devotion. They go to the temple of Lord Krishna to worship and offer Prasad, dhoop batti, ghee diya, Akshat, some basil leaves, flowers, Bhog and sandalwood paste. They sing devotional songs and Santan Gopal Mantra: “Devki Soot Govind Vasudeva Jagatpate, Dehi Me Tanayam Krishna Twyamaham Sharanam Gatah”.
At the end, they perform aarti of the statue of Lord Krishna using Kapoor or ghee diya and pray to God. People keep fast for whole day till birth of God in the dark midnight. Some people break their fast after birth and puja however some people break their fast in the morning after sunrise. People sing devotional and traditional songs and prayer after the birth of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna took birth in the Dwapara Yuga to prevent people from injustice of King Kansa. It is considered as Lord Krishna still listen our prayer if we pray to him with full devotion, dedication, and belief. He also removes our all the sins and sufferings and always save humanity.
Krishna Janmashtami Quotes
- “The wise sees knowledge and action as one; they see truly.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “The mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “Perform your obligatory duty, because action is indeed better than inaction.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “Creation is only the projection into form of that which already exists.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “One who has control over the mind is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor; and is ever steadfast with the Supreme Self.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “In battle, in the forest, at the precipice in the mountains, On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows, In sleep, in confusion, in the depths of shame, The good deeds a man has done before defend him.” – Bhagavad Gita
- “The disunited mind is far from wise; how can it meditate? How be at peace? When you know no peace, how can you know joy?” – Bhagavad Gita
- “The mind is restless and difficult to restrain, but it is subdued by practice.” – Bhagavad Gita
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