BEST PLACE TO VISIT DURING JANMASHTAMI

JANMASHTAMI

Janmashtami is one of the most vibrant festivals celebrated in India. Typically falling in the months of August/September, Janmashtami or Gokulashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna. Krishna is one of the most celebrated gods in the Hindu pantheon and he is believed to be Vishnu’s eighth incarnation. Janmashtami celebrations are characterized by ostentatious decorations, animated rituals, and rigorous prayer sessions and above all, a practise called dahi handi in which an earthen pot with curd (dahi) is tied at a height of around 20 feet and participants make a human pyramid to reach and break the pot. This is the enactment of a legend associated with Krishna’s childhood where he was believed to break such earthen pots containing butter by forming pyramids with his friends.

If you wish to witness Hindu culture, traditions and rituals at their very best, Janmashtami is your best bet. The enthusiasm, love and devotion for Krishna, and the sheer joy of breaking from the routine to indulge into competitive dahi handi events make Janmashtami not just a religious festival but also a big cultural event all across India. So, if you wish to let yourself in on India’s predominant Hindu culture, here are some of the best places to witness Janmashtami celebrations in India and also perfect for a vacation during Janmashtami:

HOW IS JANMASHTAMI CELEBRATED IN INDIA

Mathura is home to some of the best Krishna temples in the world. You can witness Janmashtami rituals in any of these temples. The Bankey Bihari, Dwarkadhish, Krishna Janmabhoomi Mandir and the ISKCON temple are famous landmarks here and great tourist attractions even on a regular day.

Another great spectacle worth witnessing here during Janmashtami is the Raas Leela — a dance drama performance that acts out various phases of Krishna’s life. Performers, especially 10-13 year old kids, prepare for weeks with great fervour to perform in these Ras Leelas. Every place where such Ras Leelas are performed has hundreds of people in the audience getting emotional at every scene.

Mathura is an excellent holiday spot for those interested in Hinduism and the life of Krishna. There are various spots in Mathura which stand as reminders of milestones during Krishna’s childhood. Most prominent among them are Potara Kund where Krishna’s clothes were washed and Vishram Ghat where Krishna relaxed after his battle with Kamsa. Mathura is also famous for its chaat and a sweet delicacy named Mathura Peda. Chowk Bazaar is a good place to try out some of the best food in north India.

MATHURA

Mathura is Krishna’s birthplace. It is therefore obvious why it is one of the most happening places in the country to be at during Janmashtami. It was here in Mathura that on a stormy night, Devki gave birth to Krishna in a prison cell.

Mathura celebrates Janmashtami with great zest. Celebrations here take place in two parts – Jhulanotsav and Ghatas. Juhlanotsav is the custom wherein people put swings in their homes for Krishna idols.  Krishna idols are bathed with milk, curd, honey, and even ghee early in the morning in a ceremony known as Abhishek (anointment). After the bath, the idol is decorated with new clothes and ornaments and placed in a swing (jhulan). These swings are put out in courtyards of houses and temples all across Mathura and idols of Krishna are swung on them to celebrate his birth.

Ghatas is the custom wherein all temples of the city are decorated with the same color scheme. Pujas are performed in various temples to mark the time of Krishna’s birth. The whole of Mathura gets all decked up on the occasion of Janmashtami and reverberates with the sound of the traditional shell, temple bells and prayer hymns.

VRINDAVAN

Just around 15 km away from Mathura is Vrindavan, another place associated with Krishna. It is believed to be the place where Krishna grew up. Vrindavan is most famous for being the venue of Krishna’s famous raas leela with Radha and the gopis. It is believed that Krishna performed the raas leela in the forests of Vrindavan.

In Vrindavan, the festival of Janmashtami begins 10 days prior to Krishna’s birthday. Like Mathura, raas leelas are performed all over Vrindavan too. Temples are decorated during Janmashtami and the whole city lights up making it obvious that it is in the middle of its biggest event.

THINGS YOU MUST NOT MISS

The Govind Dev temple in Vrindavan is one of the oldest shrines in India and should not be missed.  Another place of interest is Nidhi Van, a sacred Krishna temple in the middle of a dense forest of trees. The park surrounding the temples is full of Vana Tulsi (basil) trees.

There are over 4000 temples in Vrindavan. Some of the most important ones worth visiting are  Ranganathji temple, Radharaman Temple  and the ISCKON Temple. All of these celebrate Janmashtami with great enthusiasm and devotion. This is what makes Vrindavan a tremendous tourist attraction this time of the year.

GOKUL

Gokul is the place Krishna was taken to immediately after his birth in Mathura. Krishna grew up in Gokul under the direction of his adopted parents Yashodha and Nanda making it the most important place associated with Krishna’s childhood. The entire stretch of Mathura-Vrindavan-Gokul is the best trip to take during Janmashtami in India. Not only will it introduce you to the life and devotion around Krishna, it will also give you a taste of the culture, tradition and hospitality in various, lesser-known parts of India.

Janmashtami which is also known as Gokulashtami is celebrated in Gokul one day after the rest of the country as Krishna was brought here from Mathura after midnight. Since residents of Gokul learnt of Krishna’s existence only one day after his birth, they choose to treat that day as his birthday. Gokul residents celebrate Dadhikana or Nandotsava – in which people drench each other with curd and turmeric to celebrate their joy.

Two most prominent temples for pilgrims in Gokul are the Radha Raman temple and Radha Damhodar. Janmashtami celebrations are characterized by Janmashtami Pooja, ringing chimes, blowing shells and conches and several religious and social gatherings. Sanskrit mantras and praise sings are also chanted till midnight at which point, the Krishna idol is bathed with curd, buttermilk and nectar.

THINGS YOU MUST NOT MISS

Gokul’s rustic charm is its biggest attraction when it comes to tourism. A visit to Gokul not only gives you an insight to Krishna devotion, it also perfectly depicts rural and traditional life in the interiors of India. Since it is located so close to Mathura, Gokul is worth a visit just to see the place which was the quaint town of cowherds where Yashodha raised Krishna.