Krishna · Krishna
Krishna Janmashtami
The midnight birthday of Lord Krishna, kept with fasting, devotion and joyful celebration.
Also known as: Gokulashtami, Krishnashtami, Janmashtami
Date and muhurat
✓ 28.6519°N, 77.2315°E · Asia/Kolkata
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When is it observed?
The eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada by the purnimanta count, which is Shravana by the amanta count, usually in August or September. The date is fixed by the Ashtami that is present at midnight (Nishita), since Krishna is believed to have been born at that hour.
About Krishna Janmashtami
Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who was born in a prison in Mathura around midnight. Devotees keep a fast through the day, sing bhajans, and wait up late for the moment of his birth, which is marked with a short puja, the blowing of conches and the ringing of bells.
Temples and homes are decorated, and small cradles hold an infant Krishna, sometimes called Laddu Gopal. Scenes from his childhood are enacted as Ras Lila and Krishna Leela, and the following morning the fast is broken with prasad.
Significance
Krishna's birth is understood as the divine arriving in the world at a time of oppression, to restore dharma. The festival reminds devotees that light enters even the darkest place, which is why the birth is placed in a locked prison at night.
His life also teaches through its variety: a playful child, a loyal friend, a wise statesman and the voice of the Bhagavad Gita. The celebrations are therefore full of music, humour and community spirit.
Fast and midnight puja
- 1Bathe in the morning, take the sankalp to keep the fast, and abstain from grain through the day. Many take only fruit, milk or water.
- 2Decorate a small swing or cradle, and set an image or idol of baby Krishna on it, with a peacock feather and flute.
- 3Spend the day singing bhajans, reading from the Bhagavata Purana or the Bhagavad Gita, and listening to Krishna stories.
- 4Near midnight, bathe the idol with milk, curd, honey, ghee, sugar and water (panchamrit), then clothe and adorn it.
- 5At the Nishita moment, offer tulsi, flowers, sandal paste and incense, and welcome the birth with a conch and a bell.
- 6Offer butter and mishri, panjiri, fruit and sweets, and rock the cradle gently.
- 7Sing the aarti, and share the prasad with the family.
- 8Break the fast the next morning after the Ashtami tithi or the Rohini nakshatra ends, or at the time suggested in the family tradition.
The story
Devaki, sister of the tyrant king Kamsa of Mathura, was married to Vasudeva. A prophecy declared that her eighth child would be Kamsa's end, so he imprisoned the couple and killed their first six children.
When Krishna was born at midnight, the prison doors opened and the guards fell asleep. Vasudeva carried the infant across the flooded Yamuna, with the serpent Shesha sheltering him from the rain, and exchanged him with the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda in Gokul. Krishna grew up there, and years later ended Kamsa's rule.
What to do
- ✓Keep the fast with sincerity, as far as your health permits.
- ✓Sing or listen to Krishna bhajans and stories.
- ✓Prepare simple offerings of butter, fruit and sweets.
- ✓Stay awake for the midnight puja if you are able.
- ✓Share prasad and food with others.
What to avoid
- ✕Do not eat grain, and avoid onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food, if keeping the fast.
- ✕Avoid anger and harsh speech.
- ✕Do not break the fast before the proper time.
- ✕Avoid unsafe heights and crowding in dahi handi events.
Around the country
- Mathura and Vrindavan: the grandest celebrations, with temple decorations, midnight aarti and Jhulan.
- Maharashtra and Gujarat: Dahi Handi, usually the day after Janmashtami, when teams of young people form human pyramids to break a pot of curd hung high above, recalling Krishna's love of butter.
- Odisha and Bengal: the day is kept with Krishna worship and nama sankirtan, and in the south it is called Gokulashtami with feet-shaped rangoli drawn at the doorway.
- Manipur and Assam: Krishna is honoured through Manipuri Ras Lila and Raas dance.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Janmashtami at midnight?
Because the scriptures describe Krishna as being born at midnight on the Ashtami of the dark fortnight, the main puja is held in the Nishita period.
Why do some places keep it on different days?
Smarta families follow the Ashtami at midnight, whereas many Vaishnava traditions follow the Ashtami present at sunrise or the Rohini nakshatra, which often puts their observance a day later. The rules also vary between lineages. The date here follows the midnight Ashtami rule for your city.
What is Dahi Handi?
It is a community game, popular on the day after, where a pot of curd is hung high and young people form a human pyramid to break it, recalling Krishna's childhood raids for butter.