Shri Krishna Janmashtami
India is a land of festivals where celebrations continue throughout the year in every region of the country. These festivals not only bring joy and happiness in our lives, but they also spread the message of humanity and brotherhood among one another. In India, there is a festival for every occasion and every festival has its own significance. For instance, some festivals welcome the rains; some mark the change of season, while others are celebrated as the birthdays of various Gods and Goddesses.
Some of the major Hindu festivals that are celebrated throughout India are Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Janmashtami, Baisakhi etc. These festivals are celebrated in accordance with the Hindu calendar and the dates and months vary every year. For every such festive occasion in India, people decorate their homes with flowers and lights, wear new dresses and cook special food & sweets and offer prayers to the Almighty. Moreover, each Indian festival is associated with a story from the past that gives a spiritual significance to its celebration.
Janmashtami, one of the most popular Hindu festivals, celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. According to the popular myth, Lord Krishna was born to King Vasudeva and Devi Devaki in Rohini Nakshatram on the eighth day of the fortnight in the month of Shravana. The celebrations of Janmashtami take place at midnight, as Lord Krishna made his divine appearance in that hour. Lord Shri Krishna is the eight reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is one of the three major Hindu Gods. The life of Lord Krishna is associated with lots of tales of his love, his compassionate friendship and his mischievous & the most adorable childhood.
The celebrations of Shri Krishna Janmashtami begin before dawn and continue till the midnight. Temples dedicated to the deity are beautifully decorated with garlands, while devotees chant the name of Lord Krishna, recite hymns and also sing bhajans, as a part of the ceremony. A plenty of fruits, sweets like laddu, kheer etc. and milk products especially “maakhan” (Krishna’s favourite childhood food) are given as offerings. The deity of Lord Krishna is bathed with auspicious liquids and is adorned with beautiful apparels. In some areas, processions are also carried out with various tableaus depicting different stages in the life of Lord Krishna.
When is Krishna Janmashtami 2017
Shri Krishna Janmashtami 2017 falls on 14th of August. In Mumbai and Pune, Janmashtami is most popularly known as ‘Dahi Handi’ which celebrates the playful and mischievous side of Lord Krishna. A special programme called ‘Raas Leela’ which is the dramatic enactment of Krishna’s life is also organized in various parts of India especially in Mathura and Vrindavan. In Jammu, an important aspect of celebrating this day is kite flying.
How to celebrate Janmashtami at home?
Apart from the celebrations in temples, you can also celebrate the joyous festival of Shri Krishna Janmashtami at your home. Below are some tips that could help you to celebrate Shri Krishna Janmashtami.
- Invite friends and family to your place and organize a midnight kirtan followed by aarti.
- Decorate home for the festival by hanging balloons & flower garlands.
- Recite hymns and other devotional songs at your place, to create a spiritual ambience.
- Keep a day long fast and break it by eating the ‘Prasad’ of Shri Krishna at midnight.
- Tell your children the story of Krishna’s birth so that they understand the significance of the festival.
So, make the festival of Janmashtami special for your loved ones through the aforesaid ways.
