Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami (Devanagari ka

janmam), also known as Krishnashtami, Saatam
Aatham, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna
Jayanti, Sree Jayanti or sometimes simply as Janmashtami, is an annual celebration of the birth of the Hindu
deity Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.[2]
The festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami)
of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) of the month
of Shravana (AugustSeptember) in the Hindu calendar.
Rasa lila, dramatic enactments of the life of Krishna, are
a special feature in regions of Mathura and Vrindavan,
and regions following Vaishnavism in Manipur.[3] While
the Rasa lila re-creates the irtatious aspects of Krishnas
youthful days, the Dahi Handi celebrate Gods playful and
mischievous side, where teams of young men form human
towers to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it.
This tradition, also known as uriadi, is a major event in
Tamil Nadu on Gokulashtami. Krishna Janmashtami is
followed by the festival Nandotsav, which celebrates the
occasion when Nanda Baba distributed gifts to the community in honour of the birth.[4]

Legend

Krishna Carried Across the River

Krishna was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva.

Based on scriptural details and astrological calculations,
the date of Krishnas birth, known as Janmashtami,[5] is
18 July 3228 BCE and he lived until 18 February 3102
BCE.[6] Krishna belonged to the Vrishni clan of Yadavas
from Mathura,[7] and was the eighth son born to the
princess Devaki and her husband Vasudeva.

thinking her to be Devkis eight child, threw her on a

stone. But she rose into the air and transformed into Yogmaya (who is Vishnus helper) and warned Kansa about
his death. Then, she disappeared.[9] Krishna grew up in
Gokul with his brother, Balram. He then returned to
Mathura (in present day Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh) Mathura and killed Kansa with the help of Balram.
was the capital of the Yadavas, to which Krishnas parents
Vasudeva and Devaki belonged. King Kansa, Devakis
brother,[8] had ascended the throne by imprisoning his father, King Ugrasena. Afraid of a prophecy that predicted
his death at the hands of Devaki's eighth son, Kansa had
the couple locked in a prison cell. After Kansa killed the
2 Celebrations
rst six children, and Devakis apparent miscarriage of
the seventh (which was actually a secret transfer of the
infant to Rohini as Balarama), Krishna was born.
Hindus celebrate Janmashtami by fasting and staying up
Following the birth, Vishnu ordered Vasudeva to take
Krishna to Gokul to Nanda and Yashoda,[9] where he
could live safely, away from his Uncle Kansa. Vasudeva
took Krishna with him and crossed the Yamuna to reach
Gokul. There, everyone was asleep; so he quietly kept
him there and returned with Yashoda's daughter. Kansa,

until midnight, the time when Krishna is believed to have

been born. Images of Krishnas infancy are placed in
swings and cradles in temples and homes. At midnight,
devotees gather around for devotional songs, dance and
exchange gifts. Some temples also conduct readings of
the Hindu religious scripture Bhagavad Gita.[10]
1

2 CELEBRATIONS
The coastal state of Goa(see:Gomanta Kingdom) has
been associated with the Yadavas.Known as Ahstam in
Goa,celebrated with great zeal on family level as well as
community levels,especially in the temples of Devaki Krishna(perhaps the only temple dedicated to Devaki in India) and Naroa,the ancient town of Kadambas.

2.2 Northern and Eastern India

Places in Uttar Pradesh that are associated with Krishnas
childhood, such as Mathura, Gokul and Vrindavan, attract visitors from all over India, who go there to participate in the festival celebrations.[14] People in the city of
Dwarka in Gujarat where Krishna is believed to have
established his Kingdom celebrate the festival by visiting the Dwarkadhish temple. In Jammu, kite ying is an
important part of the celebration on his day.[15]

Forming a human tower to break the dahi handi in Dadar

2.1

In the eastern state of Odisha, in the region around Puri

and in Nabadwip, West Bengali people celebrate Janmashtami by fasting and worship until midnight. Purana
Pravachana from the Bhagavata Purana are recited from
the 10th Skandha. This section deals with pastimes of
Krishna. The next day is called Nanda Utsav or the
joyous celebration of Krishnas foster parents Nanda and
Yashoda. On this day, people break their fast and oer
various cooked sweets during the early hours.

Maharashtra

Main article: Dahi Handi

Janmaashtami or Gokulashtami, popularly known in
Mumbai and Pune as Dahi Handi, is celebrated as an
event which involves making a human pyramid and
breaking an earthen pot (handi) lled with buttermilk
(dahi), which is tied at a convenient height. The topmost
person tries to break the handi by hitting it with a blunt Rasa lila in Manipuri dance style
object. When the handi breaks, the buttermilk is spilled
over the entire group. This event is based on the legend
of the child-god Krishna stealing butter. A participant in
2.2.1 Assam
this festival is called a Govinda or Govinda pathak.[11]
Many such Govinda pathaks compete with each other, especially for the prize money. These groups are called
mandals or handis and they go around the local areas,
attempting to break as many pots as possible every August. The event, since the 2000s, has gathered a political avour, and it is common for political parties and
rich community groups to oer prizes amounting to lakhs
of rupees.[12] Local celebrities and Bollywood actors also
participate. Some of the popular handis are at Dadar,
Lower Parel, Worli, Mazgaon, Lalbaug, Thane in Mumbai and Babu Genu, Mandai in Pune.[13] Cash and gifts
are oered for Govinda troops to participate; for over
4,000 handis in Mumbai, 2,000 Govinda troops compete
for the prizes.[12]

Janmaashtami popularly known in Assam by the same

name is celebrated in Assam mostly at the homes,
Namghars (Assamese: ) and the temples usually
though Janmaashtami Nam, pujas and sharing food and
Prasad.
2.2.2 Manipur
Janmaashtami popularly known in Manipur as Krishna
Janma is a signicant festival celebrated at two temples in Imphal, the capital city of Manipur. The rst festival is at the Govindaji temple, and the second is at the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness temple.

2.5

2.3

Bangladesh

South India

Gokulashtami or Gokul Ashtami (Janmashtami or Sri Krishna Jayanti) celebrates the birthday of Lord Sri Krishna.
Gokulashtami is celebrated with great fervor in South India.
In Tamil Nadu, the people decorate the oor with kolams (decorative pattern drawn with rice batter). Geetha
Govindam and other such devotional songs are sung in
praise of Lord Krishna. They draw the footprints of
Lord Krishna from the threshold of the house to the temple, which depicts the arrival of Lord Krishna into the
house.[16] A recitation of Bhagwadgita is also a popular
practise. The oerings made to Lord Krishna include
fruits, betel and butter. Savories believed to be Lord Krishnas favorites are prepared with great care. The most
important of them are Seedai, Sweet Seedai, Verkadalai
Urundai. The festival is celebrated in the evening as Lord
Krishna was born at midnight. Most people observe a
strict fast on this day and eat only after the midnight puja.

3
ishna temple in old Patan Durbar Square to keep vigil
through the revered night of his birth. Observances include people sitting closely together, bodies rocking as
women chant the many names of Lord Krisha, such as
Narayan, Narayan and Gopal, Gopal. Some sing hymns,
others clap their hands, while some others pray. Crowds
of men and women edge their way slowly up narrow steps
through the seated devotees to the temples dark interior,
to where the main idol stands. There they oer owers,
coins and food, and wait for a glimpse of the Krishna Janmashtami idol. After the temple priest gives them prasad,
they make their way home.

2.5 Bangladesh

Janmashthami is a national holiday in Bangladesh.[17]

On Janmashthami, a procession starts from Dhakeshwari
Temple in Dhaka, the National Temple of Bangladesh,
and then proceeds through the streets of Old Dhaka. The
procession dates back to 1902, but was stopped in 1948
Andhra Pradesh State Recitation of shlokas and devo- following the establishment of Pakistan and subsequent
tional songs are the characteristics of this festival. An- attacks by Muslim mobs in Dhaka. The procession was
other unique feature of this festival is that young boys resumed in 1989.[18]
are dress up as Lord Krishna and they visit neighbors
and friends. Dierent varieties of fruits and sweets are
rst oered to Lord Krishna and after the puja, these 2.6 Pakistan
sweets are distributed amongst the visitors. The people
of Andhra Pradesh observe a fast too.
Janmashthami is celebrated by Pakistani Hindus in the
Various kinds of sweets are made to oer Gokulnandan on this day. Murukku and Seeddai are prepared in
Tamil Nadu. Eatables made of milk and curd are prepared to make oerings to Lord Krishna. Joyful chanting of Lords name takes place in quite a few temples of
the state. The number of temples dedicated to Sri Krishna are few. The reason being that people have taken
to worship him through paintings and not idols.
The Rajagopalaswami Temple in Mannargudi in the
Tiruvarur district, Bala Krishna temple at Udupi, Pandavadhoothar temple in Kanchivaram and Krishna temple at Guruvayur are dedicated to the memory of Vishnus
incarnation as Sri Krishna. Legend has it that it in Guruvayur that the idol of Sri Krishna was installed after the
city of Dwarka submerged in the sea.

2.4

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Karachi with the singing

of bhajans and delivering of sermons on Krishna.[19]

2.7 Other
The rst ever elected government ocial in the world
to issue proclamation for the celebration Janmashtami
is Janet Napolitano, while she was the Governor of
Arizona. The festival is also celebrated widely by Hindus in Caribbean in the countries of Guyana, Trinidad
and Tobago, Jamaica and the former English colony Fiji
as well as the former Dutch colony of Suriname. The
Hindus in these countries originated from Tamil Nadu
and Uttar Pradesh and are the descendants of indentured
immigrants from Tamil Nadu, UP, Bihar, Bengal and
Orissa.

Nepal

About eighty percent of the population of Nepal identify themselves as Hindus and celebrate Krishna Janmashtimi. They observe Janmashtami by fasting until midnight. They chant slokas from the Bhagavad Gita and
sing religious songs called bhajans. The temples of Lord
Krishna are decorated, and bhajans and kirtans are sung
or played. The Krishna Mandir in Patan Durbar Square,
Narayanhiti Krishnamandir, and other temples of Lord
Krishna are the centres for festivities on Krishna Janmaasthimi. Numerous devotees ock to the ancient Kr-

3 References
[1] September 2015 Calendar with Holidays. Retrieved 20
November 2014.
[2] Sri Krishna Janamashtami celebrated in the city. The
Hindu. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
[3] In Pictures: People Celebrating Janmashtami in India.
Retrieved 10 August 2012.

[4] Packert, Cynthia. The Art of Loving Krishna: Ornamentation and Devotion. Indiana University Press, 2010.
Print.
[5] Knott, Kim (2000). Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 160. ISBN 0-19285387-2.
[6] Information on Lord Krishna Birth and Death Time.
Retrieved 29 March 2015.
[7] Pargiter, F.E. (1972) [1922]. Ancient Indian Historical
Tradition, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, pp.105107.
[8] According to the Bhagavata and Vishnu Puranas, but
in some Puranas like Devi-Bhagavata-Purana, her paternal uncle. See the Vishnu-Purana Book V Chapter 1,
translated by H. H. Wilson, (1840), the Srimad Bhagavatam, translated by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, (1988) copyright Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
[9] J Mohapatra (24 December 2013). Wellness In Indian
Festivals & Rituals: Since the Supreme Divine is manifested
in all the Gods, worship of any God is quite legitimate.
Partridge Publishing. pp. 137139. ISBN 978-1-48281689-1.
[10] Gibson, Lynne; Wootten, Pat (2002). Hinduism. Heinemann. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-435-33618-9.
[11] DMello, Daniel (4 October 2011). 8 incredible facts
about Mumbai. CNN. Archived from the original on
2014-07-29. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
[12] Ambarish Mishra; Nitin Yeshwantrao; Bella Jaisinghani
(11 August 2012). Nine-tier handi breaks into Guinness
Records. Times of India. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
[13] Janmashtami celebrated with zeal, enthusiasm. Mid
Day. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
[14] Kishore, B. R. (2001). Hinduism. Diamond Pocket Books
(P) Ltd. p. 118. ISBN 978-81-7182-073-3.
[15] The Festival of Kite Flying in Jammu. Retrieved 10
August 2012.
[16] Vaswani, Jashan P. (2004), Hinduism: What You Would
Like to Know About, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd, p. 92,
ISBN 978-1-904910-02-2
[17] Grover, Verinder (2000), Bangladesh: Government and
Politics, Deep & Deep Publications, p. 8, ISBN 978-817100-928-2
[18] Bangladesh blessings. Hinduism Today. February 1997.
[19] KARACHI: Janamashtami festival celebrated Jai Sri Krishna. Dawn.com. Retrieved 2 December 2012.

External links
Media related to Krishna at Wikimedia Commons

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