|
Janmashtami is celebrated in various
parts of India to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. It is observed on the
Ashtami day of the Shravan month according to the Hindu calendar. The
temples of Vrindavan witness an extravagant and colourful celebration on
this occasion. Raslila is performed to recreate incidents from the life of
Krishna and to commemorate his love for Radha.
Lord Vishnu is invoked in his human incarnation as Krishna on his birth
anniversary in the festival of Janmashtami. The idol of the infant Krishna
is bathed at midnight and is placed in a cradle. Devotional songs and
dances mark the celebration of this festive occasion all over Northern
India.
On this day, in some parts of India, especially Maharashtra, youths
celebrate it by breaking clay pots called 'Dahi-Handi', filled with curd
and butter suspended high above the ground, young men and children form
human pyramid to reach the pot and break it. This custom follows the habit
of Lord Krishna who used to steal butter in this manner from villagers
along with his friends. The reason for this is that Gokul; the place where
lord Krishna spent his childhood used to generate a lot of milk and the
people used to sell it in Mathura, thus depriving their children from milk
and butter which is very essential for young boys and girls.
In Maharashtra, Janmashtami witnesses the exuberant enactment of the god's
childhood endeavors to steal butter and curd from earthen pots beyond his
reach. |
