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Krishna JanamAshtami Festival

Krishna Janam Ashtami- Karnataka

About:

In Karnataka in particular, Madhwas (Vaishnavas) (followers of Sri Madhwacharyaru) and Iyengars or the Srivaishnavas, (followers of their guru Ramanujacharya) make elaborate preparations for the festival. The idol of Lord Krishna is placed in a decorated mandapam Wooden, square and open stand with a checkered wooden ceiling on which the Bhakshanam snacks and sweets in Tamilthat are specially prepared for the festival are suspended along with fruits considered the favourites of Lord Krishna.

The pooja is performed late in the evening,Particularly time when Moon rises this time will differ for different places this time will mentioned in Hindu calendar Panchanga as Krishna was born at midnight. Generally, most of the sweets and savouries are prepared on that day only. Normally, a kolam (rice flour drawings on ground) drawn specially for the occasion, called ezhakoolam, decorates the front yard.

Kolam in Tamil, also called Rangoli in the rest of India, is drawn using soaked rice ground to a fine paste ad mixed with lot of water. A white cloth is used to soak the paste and make the drawing. Krishna's feet is drawn from the front yard to the pooja room, indicating that the lord is entering the devotees home.Vaishnavas perform pooja as usual in the morning. And In the evening when moon rises (time) Main pooja will starts that means up to the evening all vaishnavas will be in fast(no one should take single drop of water) because after performing pooja and we make many types of sweets and all types of frtuits for perform Naivedya to Lord Sri Krisha afterthat we should give Arghya pradana to Lord Sri Krishna. And after this only we should take food.

The lanmashtami celebrations start right from the early morning with bath in sacred waters and prayers, etc., but the climax reaches in the midnight with the rising of the moon, which marks the divine birth. On this auspicious day, strict fast is kept and broken only after the birth of Krishna at mid-night. The temples and homes are decorated, scenes depicting Krishna's birth and his childhood pranks, etc. are staged with models both living and inanimate. Child Krishna's image is put into a richly decorated swing and rocked with a tender care all the day by the devotees. At night after birth, a small image of toddling Krishna is bathed in Charnamrita, amidst chanting of hymns, blaring of the conches, ringing of the bells and joyous shouting of "victory to Krishna".

Location info:

Address: Karnataka,India
District: Karnataka,India
Celebrate Time: Month of August(indian month of sravan)

Climate/Weather:

During winter temperatures range from 32 degrees Celsius to below 20 degrees Celsius,Summer Average temperature is 34 degrees Celsius

History:

Janmashtami is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna, the re-embodiment of Lord Vishnu who gave us the vital message of Bhagwat Gita- the guiding principle for every Hindu. Janmashtmi is celebrated with full energy all over the country. It is celebrated in various parts of India to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. It is observed on the eight day of the Shravan month according to the Hindu calendar. The temples throughout the country witness an extravagant and colorful celebration on this occasion.Raslila (an act) is performed to recreate incidents from the life of Krishna and to commemorate his love for Radha.

Lord Vishnu is invoked in his human manifestation as Krishna on his birth anniversary in the festival of Janmashtmi. The idol of Krishna is taken for bath in the midnight and is placed in the cradle. Devotional songs and dances mark the celebration of this festive occasion all over the northern India.Janmashtmi is a very auspicious night for those seeking for God's realization. It is the day when the supreme power appeared on earth. It may seem totally unbelievable that the creator that the creator himself appeared in a province, in a village in India. If you will try to understand all this, your mind will fail. So make one thing very clear that he came on earth because he had great compassion for all souls. He appeared to help the souls. He appeared among us. And what did he do? He did everything to help us.

On this day, in some parts of India, especially Maharashtra, youths celebrate it by breaking the clay pots filled with curd and butter suspended high above the ground. Young men and children form human pyramid to reach the pot and break it. This custom follows from Lord Krishna who use to steal butter from the villagers in this manner along with his friends. The reason for this is that Gokul; the place where Lord Krishna spend his childhood used to generate a lot of milk and people used to sell it in Mathura, thus depriving their children from milk and butter which was very essential for them.Therefore in order to pay our homage to a such great god, we celebrate his birthday all over the country.

Importance:

The Lord Krishna, the eighth avthar of Vishnu.His birthday falls on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha or the 8th day of the dark fortnight of the month of Shravan Masa. Popularly known as Janam Ashtami or Krishna Jayanthi.This is the festival of sweets and revives the childhood stages of Krishna. The Lord is worshipped with offerings - milk, curd, butter, cream, honey and avvalakki (all are Krishna's favourites), variety of fruits and flowers along with lots and lots of sweets and savouries.

People decorate the idols of God with flowers and decorate the Lord with silk and jewelery. They arrange dolls/idols depicting the childhood of Krishna in the cradle, stealing butter, playing with the Gopikas, Mother Yashodha viewing the Vishwa Roopa Darshana, Krishna with Radha etc. Sri Krishna Janmashtami witnesses the exuberant enactment of the God's childhood endeavors to steal butter and curd from earthen pots beyond his reach. A matka or pot containing these is suspended high above the ground and groups of young men ad children form human pyramids to try and reach the pot and eventually break it.

Method of Celebration:

Hala Shasht :
It is also known as Balaram Shashti, and is observed on the sixth day of the dark half of Bhadra. Balram, the elder brother of Krishna, was born on this day. Our scriptures say that Vishnu took two hairs, a white and another black, and these became Balarama and Krishna, the sons of Devaki. As soon as Balarama was born, he was carried away to Gokula to preserve his life from the tyrant Kansa, and he was brought up there as a child of Rohini. He and Krishna grew together and took active part in many adventures which included the killing of many demons. He was a preceptor both of Bhima and Duryodhana. He had refused to side either with the Pandavas or the Kauravas.

worship:
Balarama's weapon was a plough, so it is called Hala (Plough) Shashti. On this day, fast is kept by the women to ensure happiness, prosperity and longevity to their sons and only buffalo milk and curds are taken. The plough is also worshipped on this day. This fast, primarily a rural affair, is observed with much enthusiasm in northern India. After morning ablutions, a small piece of ground is sanctified and plastered with cowdung, etc., and a tiny water pool is dug in it and then the branches of ber (jujube plum), gular (a kind of fig tree). and palash (Butea Frondosa) are planted there in and worshiped. Unmarried girls observe the Chandra Shashti on this day, and fast, which is terminated with the rising of the moon in the night, whom they offer water and worship.

Culture of Festivities:

Sri Krishna Janmashtmi is one of the most auspicious festivals on the Hindu calendar. Janmashtmi is celebrated to mark the birth of Sri Krishna who was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Krishna Janmashtami is a festival which is celebrated with lot of fanfare and excitement. To witness the best celebrations associated with Sri Krishna Janmashtmi one must visit Dwarka, Mathura and Vrindavan as these are the places which attract maximum number of visitors on the occasion of Janmashtmi. Also known as Krishnashtmi or Gokulashtami, the festival of Sri Krishna Janmashtami is also celebrated across India and other parts of the world as well.

 

The idol of Lord Krisha is bathed and and decorated at midnight and many rituals are performed where prayers are offered to Lord Krishna. Another important celebration associated with Sri Krishna Janmashtami happens in the state of Maharashtra where human pyramids are formed with an objective of breaking the dahi handis (earthern pots filled with curd) which are dangling high aboethe ground. This celebration style is very popular and is even televised across the nation as it fills everyone around with sheer exuberance.

This tale is fondly remembered on the day of Janmashtami as temples and homes light up for the joyous occasion. Especially cities like Mumbai, Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan come alive during the festival. Cribs and other displays with dolls in traditional costumes depict the life and times of Krishna. Raas Leelas (dance dramas) enact incidents from Krishna's life amidst much pomp and show. People fast till midnight, the time of Krishna's birth. Elaborate pujas, or prayer ceremonies are held in temples and homes to welcome the lord at midnight amongst joyous singing of hymns. Prasad (sweetmeat offered to the lord and later eaten by devotees) is distributed to everyone. The lord having arrived, it is time for everyone to settle down to a hearty vegetarian meal.


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