Krishna Janmashtami is one of the pious Hindu Festival which is celebrated as a birthday ceremony of Lord Krishna. The festival is celebrated across the length and breadth of India, by people following Hinduism. It is also known asGokulashtami and Srikrishna Jayanti.
It is believed that Lord Krishna was the incarnation of Vishnu, one of the three most important Hindu Gods. It is commonly believed that he took birth for killing Kansa, the unreligious demon king of Mathura and other demons, to establish a kingdom of peace, prosperity and religion on earth and to spread the message of brotherhood and humanity.
The festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) of the month of Shravana (AugustÔÇôSeptember) in the Hindu Calender. Hindus celebrate Janmashtami by fasting and staying up until midnight, the time when Krishna is believed to have been born. Images of Krishnas infancy are placed in swings and cradles in temples and homes. At midnight, devotees gather around for devotional songs, dance and exchange gifts. Some temples also conduct readings of the Hindu religious scripture Bhagavad Geeta. While the Rasa-lila recreates the flirtatious aspects of Krishnas youthful days. The Dahi-Handi celebrates Gods playful and mischievous side, where teams of young men form human towers to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it.
Krishna was the 8th son of Devaki and Vasudev borned at Mathura. Mathura was the capital of the Yadavas to which Krishnas parents Vasudeva and Devaki belonged. King Kansa, Devakis brother, had ascended the throne by imprisoning his father, King Ugrasena. Afraid of a prophecy that predicted his death at the hands of Devakis eighth son, Kansa had the couple locked in a prison cell. After Kansa killed the first six children and Devakis apparent miscarriage of the seventh (which was actually a secret transfer of the infant to Rohini as Balarama), Krishna was born. Following the birth, Vishnu ordered Vasudeva to take Krishna to Gokul to Nanda and Yashoda where he could live safely, away from his Uncle Kansa. Vasudeva took Krishna with him and crossed Yamuna to reach Gokul. There, everyone was asleep; so he quietly kept him there and returned with Yashodas daughter. Kansa, thinking her to be Devkis eight child, threw her on a stone. But she rose into the air and transformed into Yogmaya (who is Vishnus helper) and warned Kansa about his death. Then, she disappeared. Krishna grew up in Gokul with his brother, Balarama. He then returned to Mathura and killed Kansa with the help of Balram.
In his preaching to Arjuna in the holybook ÔÇÿBhagvad Geeta he says ÔÇÿWhenever the balance of the universe is disturbed by external interference from any of its parts, then I reveal myself as the Power of eternal balancing. For the protection of those who are in harmony and the rectification of everything disharmonious, I incarnate myself at every juncture of time. So, it is assumed that the form of God will return back on earth for the establishment of peace, religion and prosperity in society once again when required. So this festival is celebrated as way of commemorate of his holy deeds on the Earth for the mankind.
