Krishna Janmashtami is a festival celebrated to remember the birth of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that his birth happened in 3228 BC. He taught humankind many important lessons that his devotees and people who believe in Krishna and Hinduism are still revered.

Generally, Janmashtami occurs eight days after Raksha Bandhan, another popular Hindu festival for siblings. This is the Sravan month and Janmashtami in August/September. The celebration happens for two days, during which things remain colorful and full of devotion.

The Midnight Celebration

Krishna’s birthday is often celebrated at midnight because this was when he was born. The celebration happens all over India and in many other countries. The celebration happens in all Krishna temples; in foreign like the UK, Janmashtami is celebrated significantly at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Hertfordshire. All the ISKCON temples celebrate this day grandly; many dance performances and singing of bhajans happen. Prasadam is prepared and shared with the public.

In Krishna’s devotion, this also remains the night on which many Hindu devotees do not sleep. Instead, they perform vigil the whole night and spend it singing Krishna bhajans, chanting his mantras, and enjoying the celebration.

Food is prepared as another significant part of Janmashtami. Many ingredients made of milk are prepared since Krishna was always a big fan of Makhan and curd. Many Hindus observe a fast which goes on from midnight to midnight.

This remains a colorful celebration; hence, singing, dancing, and dramas are part of Janmashtami. Many artists perform in the drama, depicting the life story of Sri Krishna and his love for Radha.

The Dahi Handi Program

Another tradition is the Dahi Handi program, during which a human pyramid is formed. Many men gather to form it, forming a pyramid-like structure. Then a young man steps up to this elevation and reaches the earthen pot, which is hung high with ropes on a building level.

When the man reaches this pot, he breaks it, and the content, buttermilk or yogurt, spills from it. This spilled content is considered prasadam, which everyone then enjoys.

This program majorly happens in Mumbai and other Maharashtrian cities. A huge crowd gathered to witness the smash of the earthen pot.

It is believed that when Krishna was a child, he used to love makhan and yogurt very much. When his mother would refuse to give him any, he would steal it from neighbors’ houses. For this reason, the neighbor women used to hang their pots of makhan high on elevation. However, Krishna with his friends used to smash these pots with stones and enjoy the spilled makhan. Dahi handi program is performed to represent the same act of Krishna.

The Trinities Of Hinduism

The Hindus believe that three Supreme deities are responsible for the creation, protection, and destruction of the Universe. These deities are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma is the creator who created this whole Universe and everything that exists. Then Vishnu is the protector of this creation of Brahma. At last, Shiva is responsible for destruction whenever it is needed. These three Gods are called the Trinities.

Krishna is believed to be the avatar of Lord Vishnu, and till now, there have been nine avatars. It is believed that the tenth and final avatar of Vishnu will happen when the world will about to end to destroy all the negativity and evil.

Vishnu takes the avatar whenever an imbalance happens between good and evil, and he restores the balance.

Hindus have many communities, and the beliefs depend upon each of these communities.
Hinduism is widespread in India, and there is not a single founder or single scripture. It has a large history, and there are thousands of philosophies about Hinduism; hence, Hinduism has no certain set of beliefs, and there are many.

So Hinduism contains religions rather than a single religion. No one definition can define Hinduism, and every community has its own definition. However, there are scriptures and Vedas that Hindus consider the foundation of Hinduism.

So this Janmashtami will happen on August 19, 2022. Celebrate it with complete enthusiasm and fervor. Observe a fast or worship Krishna and receive his heavenly blessings. Let Krishna remove all the obstacles from your life path and let your consciousness become higher and clearer. Let’s chant the maha-mantra of Krishna and get over the worldly illusion while making your way to salvation.

Devotees can also read Bhagawad Gita and Bhagwata Purana to know the Krishna consciousness. Know about the birth story of Lord Krishna, his parents, and his maternal uncle, King Kansa, who made many efforts to kill Krishna. Celebrate the day as a victory of good over evil this Krishna Janmashtami.