Krishna Janmashtami
Krishna Janmashtami is a religious Hindu festival celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. According to the Hindu calendar, this religious festival is celebrated on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the eighth day (Astami) of the dark fortnight in the month of Shravan- when Lord Krishna was born in Mathura, India. This year, Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated in Nepal on Friday, 23rd August.
Lord Krishna is the eighth avtar of Lord Vishnu. The name Krishna has been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Karsh’ which means ‘to pull.’ This festival holds exceptional significance to those who believe in the Hindu faith and Sri Krishna and celebrate the birthday in the form of Krishna Janmashtami. This day is also celebrated as a victory of good over evil. Hindu epic tales tell of Krishna’s battles with evil beings and his victory over the forces of darkness. Janmashtami has been observing since the birth era of Lord Krishna, and many stories surround regarding Krishna Janmashtami. According to mythology, the celebration of Krishna Janmashtami symbolizes the inflow of fortune and spreads the message of ‘relationship.’ His biological and foster parents, his siblings, and also his close friend is remembered and worshipped on this day.
On this day, devotees perceive fast, perform rituals, and worship the idol of Lord Krishna. The celebration begins at midnight since Lord Krishna was born at midnight. All Krishna temples are cleaned and decorated and are immensely crowded with devotees. They prepare the best offering for the Lord on this day, especially butter, which is his favorite and seeks his blessings. The toddler form of Lord Krishna is worshipped on the day with decorated cradle too. Devotees swing the cradle for him since it is believed that Lord Krishna was fond of it. The celebration also includes night long prayers, traditional singing and dancing, visits to festively decorated Hindu temples, and evolution of the “life cycle of Krishna.”
