Krishna Janamashtami festival, Pooja vidhan, Significance, Recipies

Krishna Janamashtami or Krishnastami is reffered as the birth of Hindu religion Lord Krishna, this is the festival and it will be celebrated in the month of Sravana or Savana.Lord Sri Krishna was born on the ‘Rohini’ nakshatram (star). It is generally celebrated in the month of August-September according to the Christian Calendar. Janmashtami is celebrated for over two days as “Rohini” nakshatra and Ashtami may not fall on the same day. The first day known as Krishnashtami, as the birth of Bhagwan Krishna falls on the eighth day after Raksha Bandhan, which generally falls in the month of August. The second day is known as Kalashtami.

It was only on the eighth day of the second fortnight, in the month of Sravana when, the moon entered the house of Vrishabha in Rohini Nakshatra (star) that Lord appeared. According to Barhapatyamana, the month of Sravana corresponds to the month of Bhadrapada Krishnapaksha. Lord was born in the year of Visvavasu, appx. 5,227 years ago.

The actual festivities begin during midnight in this 48 hour period. The celebration reaches its peak at midnight, with the birth of Lord Krishna, with lot of hymns, arti taking place and blowing of the Conch (shankh), rocking the cradle of Lord. The idol of lord is bathed with Panchamrit (A mixture of milk, ghee, oil, honey and Gangajal). The Panchamrit is later distributed as Prasad to the devotees along with other sweets. While some Fast on the first day and break it at midnight for others the fasting continues for both days. The period coincides with rainy season.

How to perform Pooja for this festival

The general pooja process begins early in the morning with devotees

giving an abhishek to Bal Gopal’s idol with gangajal, ghee, water, honey and curd.The idol is then adorned with new clothes, stone or other precious jewellery.

Next, the idol of lord is offered bhog, the contents of bhog may vary. Fruits, kheer, pedha, milk, and milk products are made. Thereafter, special Krishna pooja is performed. The cradle containing the divine infant’s idol is rocked, conch is blown. Devotees sing Krishna arti, some people read out 108 names of lord. They get totally immersed in the name and praise of Gopal.

After the entire pooja is over, devotees break their fast by having panchamrit. The time of breaking the fast may vary, this is so, because the time of performing pooja also differs from place to place. While some devotees choose to perform pooja at midnight and break fast, others perform pooja in the evening and have food.

Significance of Janmashtami

Significance of Janmashtami relates to the historical background of the birth of Lord Krishna. Kans, the king of Mathura was a very cruel tyrant. His tyranny spared no one, even the sages had to bear the brunt of this.Finally the gods could tolerate no more of it and in a dream Kans was told that his evil reign would be brought to an end by his sister Devaki’s son who would kill him.

The cowardly tyrant immediately threw his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudev in prison so that he could kill all the sons born to Devaki. In captivity Devaki bore six sons, each of them were killed by Kans.

On the night of the birth of their seventh child, the prison guards fell into a deep sleep and the doors were unlocked. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Vasudev slipped out of the prison and whisked away the child safely to the neighbouring kingdom which was ruled by king Nand, across the Yamuna river.

At that time the Yamuna was in spate, but when the waters touched the feet of the Baby Sri-Krishna, the waters parted making a channel for Vasudev to pass.

Janmashtami Recipes

Lord Krishna likes   milk and milk products especially  makkhan, maakhan or butter, so devotees make various dishes of milk to please the Lord.