Krishna Janmashtami, a Hindu festival, is celebrated all over India by praising the birth of Lord Vishnu. It is also called Gokul Ashtami. According to this festival number eight is considered as noteworthiness, because Krishna’s birth is the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna, he is the eighth offspring of his mom Devaki.
Importance of Janmashtami
Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated in August. The main significance of the incarnation is to encourage goodwill and destruct the bad will happening around the world. The main reason for the incarnation of Lord Vishnu is to spread the message of love and harmony. Krishna Janmashtami acts of more significance for the people of Mathura and Vrindavan because it was considered the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
Dahi Handi
Dahi handi is celebrated on the second day of Janmashtami. Krishna, he is naughty in his childhood, he steals butter made by gopis and eats. So, gopis complained to Krishna’s mother Yashodha. she ran behind Krishna to beat him. To mimic the stealing butter by Krishna, Dahi Handi is celebrated. It is celebrated in the way that the earthen pot was filled with ghee, butter, dry fruits, and hund at the great heights with the help of rope. Energetic men form a human pyramid to break the pot.
Reason Behind Krishna Janmashtami
Kansa, the evil ruler, ruled the Dwaraka. He is so fond of his sister ‘Devaki’. She got married to Vasudeva. Once a hermit told Kansa, your sister’s eighth son will gonna destruct you. So, Kansa tried to kill Devaki, Vasudeva requested to leave his wife and agreed to hand over their kids after their birth. Kansa took Vasudeva and Devaki to prison in jail. In prison, they had seven babies, after its birth one by one it was slaughtered by Kansa and killed. The eighth offspring was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. After the birth, the child appeared as Vishnu and explained its incarnation to kill the evil Kansa, save the good deeds from the bad ones, and change as an infant. Finally, the child was handed over to Yashodha. In remembrance of this history, Janmashtami is getting celebrated.
Celebration in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil, Nadu Janmashtami is called Gokul Ashtami or Sree Krishna Jayanthi. Is celebrated by the recitations of the Bhagavat Gita as well as devotional songs of Krishna. People used to decorate their floors and entrance with rice batters. People draw their babies’ footprints from the pooja room entrance. It resembles the arrival of child naughty Krishna to their home, and they have sweets made from milk, which is offered to Lord Krishna and shared with their family, neighbors, and friends. In some areas, people show their unity, street people gather and have a function to celebrate the festival, and kids dress up like Lord Krishna and Radha and have a song and dance.