India, a land known for its rich cultural heritage and diverse traditions, is home to a multitude of festivals. One such auspicious occasion is Sri Krishna Jayanti, also known as Janmashtami, which marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Sri Krishna Jayanthi celebrations take place on the eighth day or Ashtami of the lunar month of Shravana, which falls between August and early September. This year will be celebrated today and tomorrow.

Janmashtami and Sri Krishna Jayanti are essentially the same festival. In South India, the festival is known as Sri Krishna Jayanthi, while it is known as Janmashtami, north of the Vindhyas. However, both terms refer to the same festival—the birth of Lord Krishna. The words are used interchangeably, and there is no difference in the meaning or the significance of the two.

The story of Krishna Jayanthi goes back to when Lord Krishna was born. His mother, Devaki, was imprisoned by her brother, King Kansa. A prophecy had told Kansa that one of Devaki’s sons would kill him, so he kept her locked up to prevent this from happening. Despite the precautions taken by Kansa, Krishna was born, and he was smuggled out of prison by his father, Vasudeva. Nanda and Yashoda then raised Krishna in Gokul. Krishna began to perform miracles as he grew up and exhibited superhuman strength. He eventually killed King Kansa, fulfilling the prophecy.

One of my favourite stories about Lord Krishna is this one. When Lord Krishna was young, he used to sit and watch the Gopis clean all the pots. He noted that the Gopis would use dirt to clean the containers after they had been emptied of butter. After eating butter to clear his stomach, he began to worry whether even he would need to eat mud. Thus, after filling up on butter, he shoved mud in his mouth. He had crammed his mouth, and his buddies and brother Balram asked him what it was. They took him to Yashoda because he would not open his mouth. He was also urged to speak by Yashoda, but he remained silent and did not do anything. Then, in a fit of rage, Yashoda seized a stick and threatened to beat him if he didn’t immediately open his mouth. Yashoda was shocked to see that when Krishna opened his lips, the entire cosmos was visible. She closed her eyes to gather her thoughts in shock. She opened her eyes to see Krishna beaming sweetly at her. Even though Yashoda noticed this miracle, she decided to keep it a secret because Krishna didn’t seem affected.

In many temples, a beautifully adorned Urchava Murthy or a procession of the idol of Lord Krishna is taken out in a grand procession through the streets. Devotees gather in large numbers to witness this procession, singing devotional songs and chanting the Lord’s name. The vibrant atmosphere, accompanied by the rhythmic beats of drums and cymbals, fills the air with a sense of joy and devotion.

The city of Mathura has a large number of temples; therefore, Krishna Janmashtami festivities begin more than a month before the actual birthday of Lord Krishna. The two most important parts of the Janmashtami celebration in Mathura are Jhulanotsav and Ghatas. Jhulanotsov is a tradition in which people welcome Lord Krishna into their homes and demonstrate how he was held as a baby. Swings are set up in the courtyards of their homes, and flowers and rangolis are put on the temples. Ghatas are another unique part of the celebrations in Mathura. Every temple in the city is decorated in the colour of the chosen theme, including the outfit that the idol of Krishna is wearing. They follow this tradition for the whole month.  Rasleela are dance dramas that Krishna used to perform frequently. They are performed by many groups in the days before the Janma Diwas, especially by children between the ages of 10 and 13. Moreover, Jankis, clay sculpted figurines on display, are created, and episodes from Krishna’s life are shown on them all across Mathura.

In Vrindavan, the festivities begin ten days before the actual birthday. On Janmashtami, the place where Lord Krishna was born and where he grew up, professional artists put on rasleelas, which are plays about his life, as well as scenes from the epic Mahabharata, in which Lord Krishna played a key role.  Most devotees go to the celebrations and activities in Vrindavan during the day and then go to Mathura in the evening to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.

In Udupi, Shree Krishna Leelotsava is a significant part of Janmashtami. As part of the Janmashtami celebrations, there is the Puli Vesha, or Tiger Dance, where people are dressed as tigers. One of the most thrilling parts of the festivities is a dance called Huli Vesha. During the celebrations, the idol is put on a chariot and pulled in a parade. In Udupi, Raas Leela is a significant part of Janmashtami. The Udupi Krishna temple has a unique window for worship. It is the area from which worshippers may see the idol within the temple. It is embellished with a filigree pattern, which contributes to the temple’s distinctiveness.

Hindu astrology says that Lord Krishna was born when the moon entered the house of Vrishabha or Taurus at the Rohini Nakshatra or star on the eighth day or Ashtami of the second half of the month of Shravana. This is the month of Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha in North India. Shri Krishna Jayanti requires all four parameters to be met, although Hindu sect calendars rarely do. As a result, several Hindu sects celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday differently. Certain sects value Ashtami, whereas some sects worship the star Rohini. The lunar and solar calendars also complicate things. Hence, Shri Krishna Jayanthi is observed on different days. Hindu tradition says that Lord Krishna was born at midnight, which is why Shri Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated at midnight.

In most Tamil Brahmin homes, tiny footprints are drawn from outside the home to where the home altar is kept, symbolising Lord Krishna’s journey into their homes. Butter is offered to little Lord Krishna as an offering, and milk-based sweets are made and offered to the Lord and later shared with children. Additionally, milk and curd-based preparations, which are Krishna’s favourites, are also offered as prasad in temples.

Here is some information about Lord Krishna:

• Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is a central figure in Hindu mythology and is revered as a divine deity. He is considered the eight avatar of Lord Vishnu.
• He was born 5252 years ago, on 18 July 3228 BC at midnight. He lived for 125 years, 08 months & 07 days and died on 18 February 3102 BC, 36 years after the Kurukshetra War.
• Lord Krishna was 89 years old when the Kurukshetra, or Great War, took place.
• He died 36 years after the Kurukshetra war, which began on 8 December 3139 BC and ended on 25 December 3239 BC.
• Lord Krishna is worshipped as Krishna Kanhaiya in Uttar Pradesh, as Jagannath in Odisha, as Vithoba in Maharashtra, as Srinath in Rajasthan, as Dwarakadheesh and Ranchhod in Gujarat, as Guruvayurappan in Kerala and as Krishna in Karnataka.
• Krishna is reported to have killed only 4 people in his lifetime — Chanoora, the Wrestler; Kamsa, his maternal uncle; and Shishupala and Dantavakra, his cousins.
• Krishna is often depicted as a mischievous and playful child, known for stealing butter and playing pranks on the Gopis (cowherd girls).
• As a young boy, Krishna was known for his love for his devotees and his flute playing, which mesmerized everyone who heard it.
• He was born dark-skinned and not named throughout his life. The whole village of Gokul started calling him the black one or Kanha. He was ridiculed and teased for being black, short and adopted. His childhood was wrought with life-threatening situations. Drought and the threat of wild wolves made them shift from Gokul to Vrindavan when he was 9. He stayed in Vrindavan until he was around 14 or 16, when he killed his maternal uncle Kansa at Mathura and then released his biological parents from the dungeon his uncle had imprisoned in. He never returned to Vrindavan. He then had to migrate to Dwarka from Mathura due to the threat of a Sindhu King, Kala Yaavana. He defeated Jarasandha with the help of the Vainatheya tribes on Gomantaka Hill, now Goa. After rebuilding Dwaraka, he left for Sandipani’s Ashram in Ujjain to start his schooling around the age of 16 and 18.
• Lord Krishna played a pivotal role in the Mahabharata as a strategist and charioteer for Arjuna. He delivered the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture, to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, imparting wisdom and guidance.
• After his education, he came to know about his cousins, the Pandavas’ fate of exile. He rescued them from the Wax House, and his cousins got married to Draupadi. He then helped his cousins establish Indraprastha and their Kingdom. He saved Draupadi from embarrassment and stood by his cousins during their exile, and also made them win the Kurukshetra War.
• The love between Krishna and Radha is celebrated as the epitome of divine love in Hinduism. He is often depicted with a peacock feather on his head and his body covered in blue colour, symbolising his divine nature.
• He saw his cherished city, Dwaraka, wash away and was killed by a hunter known as Jara in a nearby forest.
• The celebration of Krishna Jayanti involves fasting, singing devotional songs, performing plays depicting episodes from Krishna’s life, and engaging in prayer and meditation.
• Devotees often observe a day-long fast on Krishna Jayanti and break it after midnight, the time of Krishna’s birth.
• Temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, such as the famous Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and ISKCON temples worldwide, attract millions of devotees during Krishna Jayanti.
• Dahi Handi is a popular tradition associated with Krishna Jayanti, where people form human pyramids to break a pot filled with curd and butter, symbolizing Krishna’s love for butter. The festival also includes Rasleela performances, which depict Krishna’s divine dance with the Gopis.
• The story of Krishna’s life and teachings continue to inspire people around the world, promoting values such as love, righteousness, and devotion. As an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Lord Krishna was the only person who knew the past and probably the future; yet he lived in the present moment always.
• Lord Krishna is considered a supreme deity who embodies various qualities, including compassion, wisdom, love, and divine playfulness. His life and teachings hold great significance in Hindu philosophy and spirituality.