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.
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