Shubh & Happy Janmashtami – Sri Krishna’s Birthday – August 2014

Sri Krishna Janmashtami , Sri Krishna’s birthdate, also referred to as Krishnashtami, Saatam Aatham, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti,Sree Jayanti in some parts of India. Janmashtami is one of most celebrated festivals for Hindus around the world. Lord Krishna (KRSNA) is an avatar of Lord Vishnu.

In 2014, Janmaashtami is celebrated on August 17th and celebrated from Trinadad, Guyana and Canada to Nepal, Australia and the UK. Krishna was the 8th son of Devaki and Vasudeva. Based on scriptural details and astrological calculations the date of Krishna’s birth, known as Janmashtami, is 19 July 3228 BCE(before Christian era) and departed on 3102 BCE. Lord Krishna belonged to the Vrishni clan of Yadavas from Mathura, and was the eighth son born to the princess Devaki, and her husband Vasudeva.

Janmaashtami, which is known in Mahashtra as Dahi Handi, is celebrated with enormous following and passion. The handi is a clay pot filled with buttermilk that is positioned at a convenient height prior to the event. The topmost person on the human pyramid tries to break the handi by hitting it with a blunt object. In Gujarat where the city Dwarka has Dwarkadhish temple celebrates it with pomp and joy. In Jammu, Kashmir ,kite flying is an important part of the celebration on his day, although sometimes limited due to terrorism threats from Islamic extremists.

In the Northern India, where the lord was born, in the city of Mathura, many hindus and other spiritual devotees go to Mathura and Vrindavan go for Shri Krishna’s birthday celebrations since these places are where Lord Krishna had spent his childhood.

Many celebrants of Janmashtami participate in fasting on this day. At midnight, the Lord’s birth hour, arti is performed. The traditional prasad is ‘Panchajiri’ – made of five ingredients: powdered ginger, ‘suva’, coriander, sugar and ghee. Other ingredients include poppy seeds (khaskhas) and dessicated coconut shavings. After arti, devotees jubilantly sing and hail kirtans extolling the Lord’s incarnation: “Nand gher anand bhayo, Jai Kanaiyalal ki .. Hathi, ghoda, palkhi, jai Kanaiyalal ki …” “Bawa Nand tane darbar, nobat vaage re lol … Hari pragatya taaranhaar, nobat vaage re lol…”.

The Chakra team wishes everyone a Shubh & Happy Janmashtami (Lord Krishna’s Birthday). Jai Shri Krishna! Hare Hare Krishna! Here is a bhajan (religious Hindu song) often used on Janmashtami.