FESTIVAL OF INDIA - JANMASTAMI :Festival are integral part of any culture. Celebrated throughout the year, the galaxy of Indian Festival makes the Indian Heritage the richest. Vibrant colors, brightly lit places, traditional cuisines & sweets, dance & music, dresses & ornaments, fasting & feasting, exchanging gifts & good will, prayers & processions, rituals & holidays. To welcome a new season or a new year, the harvest or the rain; on religious occasions or birthdays of Gods, saints, and gurus or to worship the Sun & the Moon……
Regions or reasons may vary and so do the names. But, the festive spirit, concept of universal brotherhood, warm hospitality and enthusiasm appeals people across the globe to be a part of it.
Lord Krishna inspired mankind to live in harmony and love. In Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna Said, “Whenever there will be predominance of evil and decline of religion, I will reincarnate to kill the evil and to save the good”. Lord Vishnu reincarnated as Krishna, the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudev to kill his evil uncle Kans. Vasudev carried new born Krishna to ‘Gokul’ where under King Nand’s protection; Krishna got the loving affection of mother Yashoda.
Lord Krishna’s birth is celebrated as ‘ Janmashtami’, ‘Krishnashtami’ or ‘Gokulashtami’, occurring on the eighth day (Ashtami) of Hindu month Shravana in July or August.
At midnight the ‘Birth of Lord Krishna’ is replicated along with the recitation of Krishna’s tales and devotional songs. A decorated cradle is rocked with infant Krishna’s idol in it. Janmashtami is celebrated with great honor and joy, with processions, paracles or ‘Jhankis’, singing and dancing in elation in the name of the Lord.
The second day is celebrated as ‘Dahi Handi’. An earthen pot full of curd, dry fruits and milk hung at a height with a rope, is broken to mimic the stealing of butter by Krishna. Human pyraminds comprising of men or women are formed to break such ‘Matkis’. ‘Govinda Pathaks’ compete to claim the prizes by breaking tallest of the ‘Handis’ or just by giving ‘Salamis’. Turning into mega events with open DJs and live performances by film personalities and celebrities has added a touch of glamour quotient to the festival.
