Janmashtami Festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Krishna. Mathura and Brindavan rings with the memories of Lord Krishna. He was born in Mathura. In Brindavan, located at a distance of about 15 km from Mathura, he loitered about in his youth in the company of his gopis. So there is an unbelievable amount of fun and excitement in both these places centering this festival.

He was born to Vasudev and Devki, who were imprisoned by Devki's evil brother Kansa and was brought up by Nand and Yashoda. The birth of Lod Krishna is believed to be symbolic of our imprisonment in worldly illusions, where He took birth with us and led us to salvation and peace, vanquishing all evils depicted by Kansa in the story.

The Janmashtami of Mathura and Vrindavan, the places where Lord Krishna had spent his childhood, are famous all over the world. Devotees from across the world come to these pious places to celebrate Janmasthami. On this auspicious occasion, temples and homes are beautifully decorated and illuminated. Night long prayers are offered and religious hymns are sung in temples. The priests chant holy mantras and bath the idol with Panchamrit which comprises of Gangajal (water from the holy Ganges River), milk, ghee (clarified butter), curd, and honey pouring all these from a conch shell. After this bath the idol of the infant Krishna (also known as Balmukund) is placed in a cradle. Devotional songs and dances mark the celebration of this festive occasion all over Northern India.

The temples of Vrindavan experience colourful celebration on this day. Raslila is performed to revive the incidents from the life of Krishna, to venerate his love for Radha. The idol of infant Krishna is placed in a cradle and rocked. In Northern India people sing devotional songs and dance. In Gokula and Mathura, this festival is celebrated with greatest possible religious fervour and enthusiasm. In Maharashtra, on Janmashtami, high-spirited plays on the god's childhood are an event to be seen. These show young Krishna's efforts to steal butter and curd from earthen pots that were beyond a child's reach. Krishna' s childhood pranks are depicted in most places.