Sri Krishna Janmashtami History & Celebrations

Sri Krishna Janmashtami History & Celebrations

Janmashtami or Sri Krishna Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna. The month of monsoon is celebrated in India with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm. If we follow the Hindu calendar, this important day is the eighth day of Ashtami or Krishnapaksha or the dark two weeks of the month of Bhado. No one knows when this festival started! This festival maybe a thousand years before it took root in our culture. In fact, there will be various myths and legends surrounding the birth of Janmashtami.
The most widely accepted view is that Lord Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu. As we all know from the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna was born to kill a demon named Kamsa who was born as his uncle. It is said that Vishnu comes to save man from the hands of men and demons whenever there is an imbalance in the universe about peace and prosperity.
Historians and scholars say that Lord Krishna was born biologically from Vasudev and Devaki in the cellular prison of the dual age. But Vasudev had to cross the Yamuna River on a stormy night to give a child to a friend to save the child from Kansa’s evil hands. So, technically, Maya Yashoda and Nanda from the Gokul region of Mathura were Sri Krishna’s foster parents.
Now this Lord Krishna was a wonderful child and his talents were noticed from his childhood. People began to believe that this little boy named Krishnan was among the common people to save them from all strange circumstances. Gradually the people of Nandgaon began to celebrate Krishna’s birth in a grand manner as they believed that this day was lucky.
We can say that this festival started in Gokul and gradually spread to Mathura and later to the states of Uttar Pradesh. Now, 1000 years later, the entire country is celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna as a symbol of love, faith, friendship, and peace.

ABOUT JANMASHTMI

The story of Mahabharata has a lot to do with the life of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna acted as the chariot of Arjuna during the Dharma war or the war between the two Pandavas and the Kauravas. He advised Arjuna of various aspects of life such as dharma (religious path), karma (karma), theology, yoga thought, salvation, and enlightenment. The verses quoted in this book are often referred to as life guides or spiritual dictionaries. Lord Krishna said that whenever bad deeds take precedence in this universe, he will be reborn in various forms and try to show people the right path of peace. The only reason to celebrate this festival is to bring people together and strengthen the principles of unity.
Dahi Handi is another major attraction of this festival which is celebrated on the second day of Janmashtami. As a child, Lord Krishna was nicknamed “Makhanchor” or the butter thief. Butter was stolen from all the houses in Gokul. Dahi Handi is an incident which describes the same butter stealing activity of Lord Krishna. An earthen pot or handi is filled with butter, clarified butter or ghee, and dried fruits, and with the help of a rope, the milk is held at a considerable height. Together, all the local youth build a human pyramid, climb on top of each other, and break it. It is an activity that teaches teamwork principles.
The actual celebration of Janmashtami takes place at midnight as it is believed that Lord Krishna was born in the dark and stormy night to end the rule and violence of his uncle Kansa. On this day, devotional songs, dance, puja, aarti, conch Shabad, and chanting of Shishu Krishna are celebrated all over India.
Janmashtami festival of Mathura and Vrindavan, the places where Lord Krishna spent his life are very special. On this day temples and houses are beautifully decorated. Worship is done at night and religious chants are sung in temples.

Must visit Sri Krishna temples

• ISKCON Temple
• Bang Bihari Temple, Vrindavan
• Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka
• Krishna Balarama Temple, Vrindavan
• Sri Krishna Temple, Udupi
• Guruvayur Temple, Kerala
• Govind Dev Ji Temple, Jaipur
• Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Tamil Nadu
• Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha
• Prem Mandir Vrindavan
• Shri Nathji Temple, Nathdwara, Rajasthan

ABOUT JANMASHTMI CELEBRATIONS

Hindu Janmashtami Fasting, singing, praying together, preparing special meals, sharing, resting at night, visiting Krishna, or Vishnu temples. The recitation of Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavad Gita is conducted in major Krishna temples. Many communities organize dance and drama programs called Raza Leela or Krishna Leela. The tradition of Raza Leela is particularly popular in the Mathura region and the northeastern states of Manipur, Assam, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Teams of many amateur artists perform, their local communities cheering, and these theatrical-dance performances begin a few days before each birthday.

Janmashtmi Celebrations in Maharashtra

Janmashtami (also known as “Gokulashtami” in Maharashtra) is celebrated in cities like Mumbai, Latur, Nagpur, and Pune. Every August / September, Krishna celebrates Dahi Handi after Janmashtami. The word means “yogurt pot”. The festival takes its popular local name from the legend of Shishu Krishna. Accordingly, he said, he would search and steal dairy products such as yogurt and butter, and people would hide their belongings from the child’s limits. Krishna would try creative ideas like building human pyramids with his friends to break these high hanging pots. The story is the subject of many consolations in Hindu temples and literary, dance, and drama collections across India. , As a symbol of the happy innocence of children, is an expression of God in the play of love and life.
In the annual tradition, teams of young men and boys, known as “Govind”, walk around these hanging panties and climb over each other to form human pyramids and then smash the pot. The leaked material is considered a prasad (celebration). It is a public view, which is enjoyed and welcomed as a community event.
Many contemporary Indian cities celebrate this annual Hindu festival. The youth groups from Govinda Pathak, who competes with each other, especially for the prize money on Janmashtami. These groups are called mandalas or hastas, and they roam the local areas, trying to break as many pots as possible every August. Social celebrities and media attend the festivities, and corporations sponsor parts of the event. Govinda offers cash and prizes to the teams According to the Times of India, more than 4,000 handicrafts were hung in Mumbai in 2014 alone, and several Govinda teams participated.

Janmashtmi Celebrations Gujarat

The people of Dwarka, Gujarat – those who believe that Krishna had established his kingdom – celebrate the festival with the same tradition as Dahi Handi, Makhan Handi (freshly mashed butter pot). Others perform folk dances in temples, sing bhajans, and visit Krishna temples such as Dwarkadhish Temple or Nathdwara. In Kutch district, farmers decorate their bullock carts and perform Krishna procession, group singing, and dancing.
Dayaram’s Carnival-style and playful poetry and compositions are particularly popular on Janmashtami in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Janmashtmi Celebrations Northern India

Janmashtami is the biggest festival in the Braj region of North India. Janmashtami is celebrated by Vaishnava communities in these cities of Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the state, as well as in Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and the Himalayan North. Krishna temples attract and illuminate many visitors during the day, while Krishna devotees perform devotionals and remain vigilant at night.

Janmashtmi Celebrations Odisha and West Bengal

In the eastern state of Odisha, especially around Puri, and the unbeaten island in West Bengal, the festival is also known as Sri Krishna Jayanti or Sri Jayanti. People celebrate Janmashtami until midnight through fasting and worship. The Bhagavata Purana is recited from the tenth chapter dedicated to the life of Krishna. The next day is “Nanda Utsav” or the joyous celebration of Nanda and Yashoda, the foster parents of Krishna. On this day people break the fast and offer various sweets cooked after midnight.

Janmashtmi Celebrations South India

Krishna’s birthday is celebrated on Gokula Ashtami (Janmashtami or Shri Krishna Jayanti). Gokulashtami is celebrated in South India. In Tamil Nadu, people decorate the floor with sticks (decorative patterns mixed with rice). Geeta Govinda and other devotional songs are sung in praise of Krishna. From the door of the house to the puja room, they draw the footprints of Krishna, which signifies the arrival of Krishna in the house. [3 of] The recitation of the Bhagavad Gita is a popular practice. Fruit, betel, and butter are some of the offerings made to Krishna. The ride, considered to be Krishna’s favorite, is carefully crafted. The most important of these are Sidai, Sweet Sidai, and Verkadlai Urundai. Since Krishna was born at midnight, the festival is celebrated in the evening. On this day most people observe the fast and eat only after midnight worship.

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