Janmashtami Festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Krishna. Mathura and Brindavan rings with the memories of Lord Krishna. He was born in Mathura. In Brindavan, located at a distance of about 15 km from Mathura, he loitered about in his youth in the company of his gopis. So there is an unbelievable amount of fun and excitement in both these places centering this festival.

"Gokulashtami" or "Krishna Jayanti" or "Janmashtami" marks the celebration of the birth of Sri Krishna.

Celebrations are held over two days. The first day is Krishnashtami or Gokulashtami. The second day is called Kalastami or more popularly Janmashtami.

On this auspicious day of Janmashtami the idol of infant Krishna is bathed at midnight and is placed in a cradle. It is then adorned with flowers, jewelry and a small "mukut" or crown. It is then placed in a cradle. Everyone swings the cradle to the tune of bhajan's or songs of praise.

The atmosphere is filled with joy and exultation as everyone rejoices the birth of Vishnu's incarnation who has been born to give security to the suffering humanity. Then "Naivedya" is offered to god and then distributed to all. This Naivedya or prasaad is a of a mixture of puffed rice, milk, curds and sugar. In addition, plenty of milk products especially butter, which was Sri Krishna's favorite childhood food, are given as offerings. A wide variety of fruits are also offered to god.

Plenty of Indian sweets are made during this festival. Among these are Laddus, Payasam or Kheer, Shrikhand and so on.

Exactly at midnight, Krishna's birth is announced with ringing of bells and blowing of conch shells.

Many women observe fast for the whole day and partake food only after Krishna's birth. In temples "Bhajans" - recitation of devotional songs and "Kirtans" - religious discourses - start early in the evening and continue till midnight - the hour of the Lord's birth. Singing and music continue throughout the night. The following morning "NAND-MAHOTSAV" is celebrated in praise and gratitude to Nand, the ruler of the cowherds of Nandgaon where Krishna grew up and lived in his childhood.


Time for celebrating the Janmashtami Festival:

The festival is celebrated according to the Hindu calendar. It falls on the eighth day of the fifteen days of no-moon in the month of Shravana. That roughly corresponds to the month of August or September in the English Calendar. You are sure to have a very enjoyable time if you visit Mathura and Brindavan when this festival is celebrated and be a part of the unrestrained merry making.

Janmashtami Fast:

The word for fasting i.e. Upavasa, means to move near to the Supreme and to overcome helplessness. The practice of fasting, could have originated as part of the offering that one could give God for getting a boon fulfilled. The festival of Janmashtami is characterised with keeping fast by devotees.

Popular Dishes made during Janmashtami Fast:

Devotees make various dishes during the fast. They have milk and milk products during the fast. This because Lord Krishna was particularly fond of milk and butter. Sweet dishes are also made and had during janmashtami fast. Kheer, Pedhas are popular sweets that devotees have. People do not include salt in their meals during the fast. Devotees fasting on janmashtami break the fast at midnight after the birth of Lord Krishna. They break their fast with Prasad of the Lord.

However with changing times, and even children keeping fasts in the current scenario, the stringent rituals of fasting have been done away with. Sendha namak (salt of a special kind used during fasting) is now allowed during the fast.