It is believed that Janmashtami is celebrated every year on the 'eighth day' or the 'Ashtami' of the holy month, Shravana, according to the Hindu Lunar calendar.
India, the land of festivals, celebrates each festival with great devotion and happiness with friends and family.
Every festival has a social, religious, and mythological value. Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, also has great significance from time immemorial.
It is believed that Janmashtami is celebrated every year on the 'eighth day' or the 'Ashtami' of the holy month, Shravana, according to the Hindu Lunar calendar. Janmashtami is also known as Gokulashtami, Krishnasthami, Srijayanti. Janmashtami is famous for Dahi Handi in Maharashtra, but this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, no major celebration will take place this year.
Lord Krishna is believed to be the eighth incarnation (avatar) of Lord Vishnu. Devotees observe fast on this day as a gesture of devotion while many others indulge in the festivities by organising cultural programs and puja rituals at home.
Here are all details about this year's Krishna Janmashtami...
1. Janmashtami 2020: Date
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Janmashtami 2020 will be celebrated on two days, August 11 and 12. This marks the 5,247th birth anniversary of Lord Krishna.
Lord Krishna is believed to be the eighth incarnation (avatar) of Lord Vishnu. Devotees observe fast on this day as a gesture of devotion while many others indulge in the festivities by organising cultural programmes and puja rituals at home.
2. Janmashtami 2020: Puja timings
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As per Drikpanchang.com, Ashtami Tithi will begins on August 11 at 9:06 AM and will end on August 12 at 11:16 AM.
The Rohini Nakshatra will begin on August 12 at 3:27 AM and will end on August 14 at 5:22 AM.
Delhi's ISKCON temple to celebrate Janmashtami on Aug 12, entry based on limited invitation due to COVID-19 crisis
Since Lord Krishna was born at midnight, the puja also commences at that time. The puja timing is between 12:05 am to 12:48 am on August 12. The timing may vary across the cities.
3. Rituals across the nation
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People generally observe a day-long fast and break it at midnight, the time when Lord Krishna was born. Devotional songs, aartis, dance performances, and bhog like rituals mark the auspicious occasion.
Rasa Lila, is a special feature, in regions of Mathura and Vrindavan, which is a stage program of Krishna's youthful days. Dahi Handi, to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break, is also a tradition followed in Maharashtra each year. It is a major event in Tamil Nadu termed as Gokulashtami.
4. Significance
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5000 years ago, during the reign of the brutal King Kansa, Lord Krishna’s maternal uncle, was a power-driven and self-obsessed King.
He married his sister Devaki to Vasudeva and according to a prophecy, it was believed that Devaki’s eighth child would be the one who would end Kansa’s rule, and kill him.
Kansa had put Vasudeva and Devika behind bars fearing for his life. He even killed their first six children as soon as they were born. The eighth child, Lord Krishna was born on a day when it was raining heavily with a thunderstorm.
Amidst all this, Vasudeva himself carried his baby across a river to his cousin Nanda and his wife Yashoda’s house in Vrindavan. Yashoda raised Lord Krishna as her own son. As prophesied, Lord Krishna ended Kansa’s life years later, making Mathura safe again.
5. Janamashtami celebration amid coronavirus
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Janamashtami is marked by grand celebrations at the Krishna temples across India. The festivities are more pronounced in Mathura and Vrindavan, the places where Lord Krishna is believed to have been born and spent his childhood days.
However, the Krishna Janmashtami celebrations this year have been marred by the coronavirus pandemic. People will have to avoid large gatherings and temple visits.
On Janmashtami 2020, devotees can make a virtual journey to the Chandroday Temple of Vrindavan through the Zoom app or via the YouTube channel. Devotees will be sent a link to the live program.
