Janmashtami is the religious Hindu Festival that commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna. All across India this festival is celebrated with lot of zeal and zest. The festival is particularly celebrated with great enthusiasm at the birth place of Lord Krishna, Mathura. People worship the deity and remember him by singing devotional songs, Bhajans and prayers. The deity is decorated with a yellow color apparel as Yellow was the favorite color of Krishna.
The ISKCON (The International Society for Krishna Consciousness) temple celebrates with great enthusiasm as they are called the true followers of Lord Krishna. Ajit Prabhu, President of the ISKCON temple said, “We are preparing two days’ festival and on Janmashtami day, we are having students’ painting competition and a seminar on science and spirituality for peace, and Janmashtami’s special Raas leela dance. This year, we have one special item, that is ‘Krishna leela.’
Janmashtami is celebrated by the schools where children dressed up as Krishna and Radha perform. One can hear in the temples the name of the deity being called. Krishna also called, Bake Bihari, Nand ke Laal, Makhan Chor, Baal Gopaal, etc. The chanting of vedic hymns can be heard all over.
The devotees throng at the temple to worship Lord Krishna. The celebration starts from early morning and goes up till midnight. At midnight, 12:0’clock, Krishna took birth and therefore all the temples celebrate the birth of Krishna till midnight by distributing sweets, holy feast and holy water to the devotees.
Some people observe fast on this day. In India, people celebrate Janmashtami in different form in the different parts of the country. In Maharashtra, Mumbai, Janmashtami is celebrated as Dahi-Handi festival.
People greet each other with smses and on Twitter and Facebook too. People are tweeting Happy Janmashtami!!