Celebrated : Throughout the country
Significance : Birthday of Lord Krishna
Time : August/September


About Janmashtami
Janmashtami is one of the most popular Hindu festivals which marks the birth of Lord Krishna. The festival is celebrated during the month of August/September every year with great pomp and show by Hindus, not only in India but across the world.

Lord Krishna was born on a stormy night about 5000 years ago in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh and spent his childhood days in neighbouring Vrindavan. According to holy Hindu scriptures, Lord Krishna is a form of Lord Vishnu who incarnated on the earth to free the people from the cruelties of demon king Kansa. According to mythology, king Kansa was the maternal uncle of Lord Krishna who, according to an oracle, was to be killed by the eighth son of his sister Devki.

History of Janmashtami
The people of Mathura and the neighbouring regions were extremely distressed by the atrocities of king Kansa. It was to put an end to the sufferings of the people and bring back justice to the region that Lord Vishnu decided to incarnate on the earth. At the wedding of his sister Devki, Kansa, through a heavenly voice, got to know that it would be the eighth child of Devki who would kill him. Thus, Kansa put both Vasudev and Devki in prison and killed all their children.
When lord Krishna took birth, a divine intervention ensured that the gates of the prison opened and all the guards fell asleep. Vasudev then took the infant to his friend in the nighbouring village and thus saved his life. Lord Krishna was born on a stormy, rainy night when the serpent Sheshnaag formed an umbrella over the head of the little child to save him from the downpour.

Celebration of Janmashtami
The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated in different ways in various parts of the country. While a few of these form an integral part of the celebrations, others are particular to a few regions. A common practice, observed around all regions of the country is the tradition of fasting. The devotees of Lord Krishna observe a fast for the entire day and eat only after midnight, after the time of the lord's birth.

The day is marked by chanting of hymns and holy mantras in the households and temples. There is a festive atmosphere across the city and various processions can be seen which depict scenes from the birth and life of Lord Krishna. The chanting of mantras is done along with the showering of flowers and other things considered auspicious, on the idol of Lord Krishna.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna was extremely fond of milk and milk products. To appease the lord, people prepare various milk products such as kheer and sweets and distribute these as prasad to the devotees.

Janmashtami in other parts of India
Janmashtami as celebrated in the southern part of India is marked with women preparing butter and other sweets made of milk and offering these to the lord. The house is decorated and marked with footprints of a child depicting those of Lord Krishna. Chanting of songs and hymns accompanies the puja ceremony.

Janamshtami is celebrated in the most peculiar fashion in the west Indian state of Assam. The women of the house on this day give up all their household work and play cards, a tradition which has been followed for centuries. According to historians, the tradition started to allow women to pass time while fasting on the day of janmashtami.