| Krishna Janmashtami | |
|---|---|
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| Also called |
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| Observed by | Hindus |
| Type | Religious (1–2 days), cultural |
| Celebrations | Dahi Handi/Nandotsava (next day in the north), kite-flying, drawing footprints of infant Krishna, fasting, traditional sweet dishes, etc. |
| Observances | Dance-drama, puja, night vigil, fasting |
| Date | Shraavana Krishna Ashtami, Bhadra Krishna Ashtami |
| 2024 date | 26–27 August[1] |
| 2025 date | 16–17 August |
| Explanatory note on Hindu festival dates | |
|---|---|
TheHindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements:māsa (lunar month),pakṣa (lunar fortnight) andtithi (lunar day). Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz.amānta /pūrṇimānta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa. A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar. | |
Krishna Janmashtami (Sanskrit:कृष्णजन्माष्टमी,romanized: Kṛṣṇajanmāṣṭamī), also known simply asKrishnashtami,Janmashtami, orGokulashtami, is an annualHindu festival that celebrates the birth ofKrishna, the eighthavatar ofVishnu. In the prominent Hindu scriptures, such as theMahabharata,Bhagavata Purana,Gita Govinda, etc. Krishna has been identified as the supreme God and the source of all avatars.[5] Krishna's birth is celebrated and observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) inShravanaMasa (according to theamanta tradition) orBhadrapada Masa (according to thepurnimanta tradition).
This overlaps with August or September of theGregorian calendar.[5]
It is an important festival, particularly in theVaishnavism tradition of Hinduism.[6] The celebratory customs associated with Janmashtami include a celebration festival, reading and recitation of religious texts, dance and enactments of the life of Krishna according to theBhagavata Purana, devotional singing till midnight (the time of Krishna's birth), and fasting (upavasa), amongst other things.[7] Some break their daylong fast at midnight with a feast.[8][9] Krishna Janmashtami is widely celebrated across India and abroad.[5][10]
The meaning of theSanskrit word Janmashtami can be understood by splitting it into the two words, "Janma" and "Ashtami." The word "Janma" means birth[11] and the word "Ashtami" means eight; thus, Krishna Janmashtami is the celebration of Krishna's birth on the eighth day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) in the month ofBhadrapada, also called Shravan, which falls in August–September of the Gregorian calendar.[12][13]
Information about Krishna's life is noted in theMahabharata, thePuranas, andBhagavata Purana.Krishna is the eighth son ofDevaki (mother) andVasudeva (father).[5] Surrounding the time of his birth, persecution was rampant, freedoms were being denied, and KingKamsa's life was threatened.[14] Krishna was born within a prison inMathura, India where his parents were constrained by his uncle, Kamsa.[5] During Devaki's wedding, Kamsa was warned by a celestial voice that Devaki's eighth son would be the cause of his death.[5] To thwart this prophecy, Kamsa imprisoned his sister Devaki and her husband, killing the first six of their newborns shortly after birth.[5] The guards responsible for keeping watch over Devaki's cell fell asleep and the cell doors were miraculously opened at the time of Krishna's birth.[5] These events allowed Vasudeva to send Krishna across theYamuna River to his foster parents, Yashoda (mother) and Nanda (father).[5] This legend is celebrated on Janmashtami by people keeping fasts, singing devotional songs of love for Krishna, and keeping a vigil into the night.[15]
Throughout Krishna's childhood and young adult life,Balarama, Krishna's half-brother, was a "constant companion" for him. Balarama joined Krishna in the major events that are celebrated in Vraja, Brindavan, Dravarka, and Mathura such as stealing butter, chasing calves, playing in the cow pens, and participating in wrestling matches.[16]
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Krishna Janmashtami holds significant importance to Krishnaites as well as Hindus around the world, and it is celebrated in diverse forms depending on their regional and cultural customs.[17][6] Hindus celebrate Janmashtami by fasting, singing, praying together, preparing and sharing special food, night vigils, and visiting Krishna or Vishnu temples. The places of Mathura andVrindavan are visited by pilgrims.[10] Some mandirs organize recitation ofBhagavad Gita in the days leading up to Janmashtami.[18] Many northern Indian communities organize dance-drama events calledRasa Lila orKrishna Lila.[15] The tradition of Rasa Lila is particularly popular in theMathura region, in northeastern states of India such as Manipur and Assam, and in parts ofRajasthan andGujarat. It is acted out by numerous teams of amateur artists, cheered on by their local communities, and these drama-dance plays begin a few days before each Janmashtami.[19][20] People decorate their houses with flowers and light.[21] On this day, people chant "Hare Krishna hare Krishna, Krishna- Krishna Hare Hare". The Janmashtami celebration is followed byDahi Handi, which is celebrated the next day.[22][23]
After Krishna's midnight hour birth, forms of baby Krishna are bathed and clothed, then placed in a cradle. The devotees then break their fast by sharing food and sweets. Women draw tiny footprints outside their house doors and kitchen, walking towards their house, a symbolism for Krishna's journey into their homes.[15]
Janmashtami is the largest festival in theBraj region of north India, in cities such asMathura where Krishna was born according to Krishnaism, and in Vrindavan where he grew up.[15]Vaishnava communities in these cities inUttar Pradesh, as well as others in the state, as well as locations in Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana,Uttarakhand and Himalayan north celebrate Janmashtami. Krishna temples are decorated and lighted up, they attract numerous visitors on the day, while Krishna devotees holdbhakti events and keep night vigil.[24]
The festival typically falls as the monsoons in north India have begun retreating, fields laden with crops and rural communities have time to play. In the northern states, Janmashtami is celebrated with theRaslila tradition, which literally means "play (Lila) of delight, essence (Rasa)". This is expressed as solo or group dance and drama events at Janmashtami, wherein Krishna related compositions are sung, music accompanies the performance, while actors and audience share and celebrate the performance by clapping hands to mark the beat.[25] The childhood pranks of Krishna and the love affairs ofRadha-Krishna are particularly popular. According to Christian Roy and other scholars, these Radha-Krishna love stories are Hindu symbolism for the longing and love of the human soul for the divine orBrahman.[26][25]
Poetry describing the feats of Krishna became popular in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries within the Braj region, and is written according to a vernacular called "Braj basha" (present-day "Hindi"/dialect of "Hindi").[27] The Braj basha poems ofSurdas (collectively known as theSursagar) are popularly recalled, some of which describe the birth and childhood of Krishna.[7]
InJammu region, Janmashtami is popularly known by the name "Thogre/Thakure da Vrat"[28] (meaning Vrat dedicated to Thakur i.e. Shri Krishna). Observing aPhalaahari Vrat for complete one day is the major ritual in the festival. The day is marked by numerousPhalaahari Dhaams orBhandaras in the streets of Jammu region's prominent towns.
Janmashtami marks the beginning of the kite-flying season in the Jammu region whereby locals gather and fly decorated kites from their rooftops.[29] While on the other hand, girls and women decorate their palms by applyingTeera, dye of an indigenous plant.[28]
Another ceremony associated with Janmashtami in Jammu region is "Deyaa Parna" in whichDogras donate cereal grains in the name of their ancestors &Kuldevtas. A holy tree calledjand is worshipped by women on this day. Special rotis calleddraupads are prepared and offered to cows and deities.[28]
Janmashtami is celebrated asZaram Satam (Janam Saptami) by the nativeKashmiri Pandits of Kashmir. The festival is associated with observing avrat the whole day and visiting theThokur Kuth (Krishna Mandir) at midnight. At night,puja is performed in the temples which includes performingabhishek (ritual bath) to themurti of Krishna, and singingbhajans (devotional songs). Food items appropriate for fasting, such asgaer orsinghada lapsi (made from waterchestnut flour), fruits, and dried fruits are consumed on this day.[30]
Janmashtami (popularly known as "Dahi Handii" inMaharashtra) is celebrated in cities such asMumbai,Latur,Nagpur andPune.[6] It is a celebration of joy and facilitator of social oneness.[6]Dahi Handi is an enactment of how Krishna, during his childhood, would steal butter.[31] This story is the theme of numerous reliefs on temples across India, as well as literature and dance-drama repertoire, symbolizing the joyful innocence of children, that love and life's play is the manifestation of god.[32][33]
It is common practice for youth groups to celebrate the festival by participating inDahi Handi, which involves hanging a clay pot, filled with buttermilk, at a significant height.[6] Once hung, several youth groups compete to reach the pot by creating a human pyramid and breaking it open.[6][31][34][35] The spilled contents are considered asprasada (celebratory offering). It is a public spectacle, cheered and welcomed as a community event.[25][36]
InDwarka, Gujarat – where Krishna is believed to have established his kingdom – people celebrate the festival with a tradition similar toDahi Handi, calledMakhan Handi (pot with freshly churned butter). Others perform folk dances such andgarba andraas, singbhajans, and visit Krishna temples such as at theDwarkadhish Temple orNathdwara. In theKutch district region, farmers decorate their bullock carts and take out Krishna processions, with group singing and dancing.[37] The day is of special importance to followers of thePushtimarg and theSwaminarayan movement.[38]
The works of Gujarati poets,Narsinh Mehta (1414–1480 c.e.),Dayaram (1777–1852) and Rajasthani poetMirabai (c.1500), are popularly revisited and sung during Janmashtami. Their works are categorized as part of thebhakti tradition, or devotional poetry dedicated to Krishna.[39][7]
InKerala, people celebrate in September, according to theMalayalam calendar.
InTamil Nadu, people decorate the floor with kolams (decorative pattern drawn with rice batter). Geetha Govindam and other such devotional songs are sung in praise of Krishna. Little footprints, representing Krishna as an infant, are drawn from the threshold of the house till the pooja (prayer) room, which depicts the arrival of Krishna into the house.[40] Reciting from theBhagavad Gita is also a popular practice. The offerings made to Krishna include fruits, betel and butter. Milk-based items, such as sweetseedai andverkadalai urundai, are prepared.[41] The festival is celebrated in the evening as Krishna was born at midnight. Most people observe a strict fast on this day.[41]
InAndhra Pradesh andTelangana, recitation of shlokas and devotional songs are the characteristics of this festival. Another unique feature of this festival is that young boys are dressed up as Krishna and they visit neighbours and friends. The people of Andhra Pradesh observe a fast too. Various kinds of sweets such aschakodi,murukku, andseedai are offered to Krishna on this day.[41] Joyful chanting of Krishna's name takes place in quite a few temples of the state. The number of temples dedicated to Krishna are few. The reason being that people have taken to worship him through paintings and not idols.[citation needed]
Popular south Indian temples dedicated to Krishna areRajagopalaswamy Temple inMannargudi in theTiruvarur district, Pandavadhoothar temple inKanchipuram, Sri Krishna temple atUdupi, and the Krishna temple atGuruvayur are dedicated to the memory of Vishnu's incarnation as Krishna. It is believed that themurti (idol) of Krishna installed in Guruvayur is originally from his kingdom in Dwarka – which is believed to be submerged in the sea.[42]
Janmashtami is widely celebrated by Krishnaite and Hindu Vaishnava communities of eastern and northeastern India. The widespread tradition of celebrating Krishna in these regions is credited to the efforts and teachings of 15th and 16th centurySankardeva andChaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sankardeva introduced the musical composition,Borgeet, and dance-drama styles –Ankia Naat[43] andSattriya - that is now popular in West Bengal and Assam. In Manipur state, a traditional dance -Raas Leela - inspired by the theme of love and devotion between Krishna, Radha and the gopis, is enacted using the Manipuri dance style.[44][45][46][47] The contextual roots of these dance drama arts are found in the ancient textNatya Shastra, but with influences from the culture fusion between India and southeast Asia.[48][49][50]
On Janmashtami, parents dress up their children as Krishna or the gopis. Temples and community centers are decorated with regional flowers and leaves, while groups recite or listen to the tenth chapter of theBhagavata Purana, and theBhagavata Gita.[25]
Janmashtami is a major festival celebrated with fasts, vigil, recitation of scriptures and Krishna prayers in Manipur.[51] Dancers performingRaslila are a notable annual tradition during Janmashtami in Mathura and Vrindavan.[52] Children play theLikol Sannaba game in the Meetei Krishnaite community.[53]
TheShree Govindajee Temple and the ISKCON temples particularly mark the Janmashtami festival.[54] Janmashtami is celebrated in Assam at homes, in community centers calledNamghars (Assamese: নামঘৰ). According to the tradition, the devotees sing theNam, perform pujas and sharing food andPrasada.[54]
In the eastern state ofOdisha, specifically the region aroundPuri and inNabadwip,West Bengal, the festival is also referred to asSri Krishna Jayanti or simplySri Jayanti.[55][56] People celebrate Janmashtami by fasting and worship until midnight. TheBhagavata Purana is recited from the 10th chapter, a section dedicated to the life ofKrishna. The next day is called "Nanda Ucchhaba" or the joyous celebration of Krishna's foster parentsNanda andYashoda. Devotees keepfasting during the entire day of Janmashtami. They bring water fromGanga to bathe Radha Madhaba during their abhisheka ceremony. A grand abhisheka is performed at midnight for the small Radha Madha. In Odisha, the Jagannath Temple in Puri, best known for its grandRatha Yatra celebrations, perform aRatha Yatra during Janmashtami.[57]
About eighty percent of the population ofNepal identify themselves as Hindus and celebrate Krishna Janmashtami. They observe Janmashtami by fasting until midnight. It is a national holiday in Nepal.[58] The devotees recite theBhagavad Gita and sing religious songs called bhajans and kirtans. The temples of Krishna are decorated. Shops, posters and houses carry Krishna motifs.[59]
Janmashtami is anational holiday in Bangladesh.[60] On Janmashtami, a procession starts fromDhakeshwari Temple inDhaka, the National Temple of Bangladesh, and then proceeds through the streets ofOld Dhaka. The procession dates back to 1902, but was stopped in 1948. The procession was resumed in 1989.[61]
At least a quarter of the population inFiji practices Hinduism, and this holiday has been celebrated in Fiji since the first Indian indentured laborers landed there. Janmashtami in Fiji is known as "Krishna Ashtami". Most Hindus in Fiji have ancestors that originated fromUttar Pradesh, Bihar, andTamil Nadu, making this an especially important festival for them. Fiji's Janmashtami celebrations are unique in that they last for eight days, leading up to the eighth day, the day Krishna was born. During these eight days, Hindus gather at homes and at temples with their 'mandalis,' or devotional groups at evenings and night, and recite theBhagavat Purana, sing devotional songs for Krishna, and distribute Prasadam.[62]
Janmashtami is celebrated byPakistani Hindus in theShri Swaminarayan Mandir inKarachi with the singing ofbhajans and delivering of sermons on Krishna.[63] It is an optional holiday in Pakistan. Prior to thePartition of India,Dera Ghazi Khan was the center of a Janmashtami fair at the thallā of Kevalarāma. This fair is now recreated inInder Puri, New Delhi.[64]
InArizona, United States, GovernorJanet Napolitano was the first American leader to greet a message on Janmashtami, while acknowledgingISKCON.[65] The festival is also celebrated widely by Krishnaites in theCaribbean countries ofGuyana,Trinidad and Tobago,Jamaica andSuriname. Many Hindus in these countries originate from Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; descendants of indentured immigrants from Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa.
Raslila plays are specially enacted during Janmashtami and Holi festivals at Mathura, Bridavan in the Braj region.
His Madras visit took place during the Sri Janmashtami (Sri Krishna's Advent day) ... they made an appeal to Srila Acharyadeva to visit Madras Math every year particularly during the Sri Jayanti (Janmastami).
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