One of the popular Hindu festivals Janmashtami or Krishnashtami is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm across India. On the eighth day of Krishna paksha in Shravana masam, according to Hindu calendar, Krishnashtami is celebrated as the birth day of Sree Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Lord Krishna was born on the earth to kill all evil and eradicate sources of evil. The main purpose of his birth or avatar is to restore Dharma on earth. The Hindu mythology believes that Lord Krishna was exchanged with a baby girl child of Yashodha and Nand after his birth to Devaki and Vasudav. Krishna was born in the midnight to Devaki and Vasudav in a prison. They were poisoned by King Khansa, Devaki’s brother, as he was sacred of the death in the hands of Devaki’s eighth child. To protect little Krishna from his maternal father, the infants were exchanged. However, Lord Krishna eventually killed Kansa and saved Mathura from the evil.

The message of Janmashtami lies in the story itself. The celebration marks the importance of eradicating the evil and protecting the goodness or Dharma on earth. Divine power arrives onto the earth to relieve everyone from the turmoil or darkness. The message of kinship and fraternity lies in depth as people congregate on the occasion to celebrate the eve.

Devotees and enthusiasts celebrate Janmashtami with immense ‘bhakti’ and enthusiasm. Hindus fast and be awake till midnight. Devotees congregate to celebrate the eve by reciting Hindu scriptures and singing devotional songs. They also recite Hindu scriptures. Symbolizing the birth and arrival of Lord Krishna onto the earth, they place the idol of 'Baal Gopal' or Little Krishna in a cradle, while singing songs and gently rocking the cradle. They recite hymns joyfully. ‘Prasads’ or ‘Naivedyam’ like butter, cheese, milk etc. will be offered to the lord and are consumed later by the devotees.

-Sumana