The Day When Krishna Comes To Devotees’ Homes known as Janmaashtami

Bhubaneswar : It is that time of the year when people gear up to welcome baby Krishna to their homes and the temples are all decked up to celebrate the birth of the lord as it’s time for Janmashtami, the annual Hindu festival marking the birth of Lord Krishna.

The birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated annually on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha (the waning phase of moon) during the month of Bhadrapada in the traditional Hindu calendar.

Rituals begin at midnight by offering sweets to Lord Krishna. Devotees observe fast and offer prayers to the Lord. They decorate their houses with flowers, lights and rangolis on Janmashtami. Special milk-based food is made as offerings to Nand Gopala, as Krishna is known as in his childhood.

Many Indian states including Odisha observe Krishna Janmashtami as a gazetted holiday. However, the celebrations are dampened this year amid COVID-19 pandemic. The festivities will be in close quarters in homes or in temples sans devotees.

The Puri Srimandir and ISCKON temple in Bhubaneswar witness a huge footfall every year on the occasion of Janmashtami. This year the servitors will be the only ones taking part in the rituals.