Janmashtami festival is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna. This festival is celebrated all over the world with full faith and reverence. Janmashtami is celebrated not only in India, but also in Indians settled abroad with full faith and gaiety. Shri Krishna has been the center of our faith for ages. the laal of Yashoda Maiya, and sometimes the naughty Kanha of Braj.
When and why Janmashtami is celebrated
The day of the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great pomp. Janmashtami festival is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Shri Krishna, which is celebrated on the Ashtami date of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month after Rakshabandhan.
Sri Krishna was the 8th son of Devaki and Vasudeva. The king of Mathura city was Kansa, who was very tyrannical. His atrocities were increasing day by day. Once there was a voice from Akash that his sister Devaki’s 8th son would kill her. Hearing this, Kansa put his sister Devaki along with her husband Vasudev in the dungeon. Kansa killed Devaki’s 7 children before Krishna. When Devaki gave birth to Shri Krishna, Lord Vishnu ordered Vasudeva to bring Shri Krishna to Yashoda Mata and Nanda Baba in Gokul, where he would be safe from his maternal uncle Kansa. Shri Krishna was brought up under the supervision of Yashoda Mata and Nanda Baba. Just, in the joy of his birth, since then the festival of Janmashtami is celebrated every year.
Temples are specially decorated on the day of Shri Krishna Janmashtami. There is a law of fasting for the whole day on Janmashtami. On Janmashtami, everyone observes a fast till 12 noon. On this day tableaux are decorated in the temples and Lord Krishna is swinging and Raslila is organized.
Dahi-handi/Matki burst competition
On this day, the Dahi-Handi competition is organized in many places in our country. Bal-Govinda from all over the place participates in the Dahi-Handi competition. A pot filled with buttermilk-curd etc. is hung in the sky with the help of a rope and attempts are made by the Bal-Govindas to break the pot. Appropriate prizes are given to the winning team in the Dahi-Handi competition. The winning team which is successful in bursting the pot is entitled to the prize.
There is a law to observe fast on the day of Janmashtami. Fruits should be eaten according to one’s ability. No god tells us to be hungry, so fast according to your faith. Not eating anything during the whole day can have a bad effect on your health. That is why we should adopt the messages of Shri Krishna in our lives.
Every year the festival of Janmashtami is celebrated on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month. In the year 2021, Janmashtami is on August 30, 2021, which is a Sunday. This fast is broken only after worshiping Shri Krishna at midnight at the time of his birth.
The auspicious time of Janmashtami 2021 is very important to break the fast and worship Lord Krishna, which is as follows –
Fixed Puja Muhurta – Night will be from 11:59:27 to 12:44:18 and its duration will be about 44 minutes.
Parana Muhurta – After 5:57 minutes on 31st August
Dahi Handi – August 31, 2021 (Tuesday)
What happens on Janmashtami
- On this day adornment is done in all the temples.
- Many people keep a fast on this day, that fast is broken only after going in the middle of the night.
- Small children are decorated as Balagopal.
- Balagopal is made to swing by sitting in a swing and worship is offered.
