Janmashtami is a cheerful festival that marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. It is observed by Hindus with great joy and happiness. This favoured and the most attended festival is celebrated with different names such as Krishnashtami, Shrikrishna Jayanti, Gokulashtami, and Ashtami Rohini.

When is Janmashtami actually celebrated?

As per the Gregorian Calendar, Janmashtami 2020 falls on the 11th of August month. According to the Hindu calendar, this holy occasion of Janmashtami is celebrated on the eight-day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. This festival mostly arrives in the Rohini Nakshatra.

Janmashtami Significance

This festival is considered highly auspicious in the Hindu religion as Lord Krishna was born five thousand years ago in Dwapar yuga on this sacred day at midnight in the city called Mathura. As per the mythological stories, Lord Krishna who is known as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu is the son of Janaki and Vasudev and brought up by his foster mother Yashoda and foster father Nanda who were Yadavas.

When the incidence of sin and iniquity increased in the world, Lord Vishnu entered this world in the form of a miraculous child named Krishna. Krishna had amazed people with many divine miracles since childhood and as he got older he destroyed many demons and also performed other great deeds whose immortality has inspired people for a long time. One of the most important incidents was that he killed his evil uncle Kansa and freed his parents from his captivity.

What to do on Janmashtami

Devotees should wake up early in the morning and should take a bath. Offer prayers to Lord Krishna with true devotion. Devotees of Krishna observe fast on this auspicious occasion of Janmashtami to please Lord Krishna and seek his blessings. Devotees observing fast are not allowed to eat food grains until the fast get over and should break the fast in the sunrise of the next day.

Devotees recite and listen to the stories of Lord Krishna described in the Holy Bhagavad Gita to show their devotion and dedication towards Lord Krishna. The holy temples of Lord Krishna are beautifully decorated with flowers during this festival. Children are dressed up as Lord Krishna and Radha and they perform various acts related to the childhood memories of Lord Krishna in the evening of Janmashtami. This joyous Janmashtami is celebrated till midnight as Lord Krishna was born at midnight and is delighted with great enthusiasm.

Benefits of Janmashtami

The holy Janmashthami which holds a huge amount of importance in the Indian culture bestows the devotees with the following benefits:

• Lord Krishna bestows his devotees with prosperity and longevity.
• Lord Krishna always guides his devotees in their difficult situations of life.
• People who perform this puja will be blessed with the strength to fight against the enemies who try to create hurdles in their work.
• Almighty Krishna gives his devotees the ability to take the right decision in every phase of life.