Janmashtami marks the celebration of Bhagwan Shri Krishna who is considered as an avatar or incarnation of the great God Vishnu. Lord Krishna, a source of revelation of ultimate reality in the Bhagvad Gita, gave us the vital message through Bhagwat Gita which act as a guiding principle for everybody and specially for hindus.

The multifaceted personality who at one end reveals the ultimate reality of life and at the other end is known for his childhood pranks, mischiefs and romantic tales.Sri Krishna is Lord Vishnu's eighth avatar (incarnation) on earth. He is considered to be the Lord's most glorious incarnations. Even saying and remembering His name brings joy because Sri Krishna himself was a manifestation of joy at all levels and in all walks of life.

No other God in the Hindu pantheon, or for that matter in any other religion, is associated with so many romantic tales and so fully radiating with all the divine attributes as Sri Krishna. Janamashthmi ( Janmashtmi) is also known as Gokulashtami, Krishan Jayanti, Sri Jayanti. Accordong to Bhagwat Purana, the province of Mathura was being ruled by the tyrannical king Kansa.

King Kansa was told that the eighth child of his cousin Devaki would be responsible for his death. Enraged, he was about to slay his cousin, when her husband Vasudeva intervened, promising to deliver all their children into Kansa’s hands, if only he would spare Devaki.

When is Janmashtami
Janmashtami comes every year on the eighth day in the Month of Shravana (August-September). According to Hindu scriptures, Sri Krishna was born in the ‘Rohini’ star. Janmashtami is celebrated for two days, the first day is called Krishnashtami or Gokulashtami and the second day is called Kalastami or Janmashtami.

Celebrations on Janmastami
The festival of Sri Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated with so much devotion and enthusiasm. So many rituals and customs are followed on this day, some are common and some are very unique to a particular region. Devotees all over sings bhajans, chants hymn “hare rama hare krishna” and offers special pooja and aarti to get the blessings of God. Devotees all over India congregates

Krishna temples at Vrindavan, Mathura, Dwarka, to plunge deep in the religious atmosphere. Mainly the fasting upto the birth of Krishna in midnight is observed. In the early morning the idols of Krishna is cleansed with curd and Ganga water. After that the idol is decorated with yellow clothe and glittering gems. Special dishes made of milk are offered to the Lord Krishna and at the midnight devotees have food to end their fasts.

Legend of Janmashtami
The birth story of Lord Krishna is full of dramatic events. In the ancient Northern India a very flourished town called Mahtura was ruled by a great Yaduvanshi King Ugrasen. He had two children a son Kansa and a daughter named Devki. Kansa was so rude and cruel, that he forcefully became the king of Mathura by confining his father to the jail. Being a brutal King, Kansa also had lots of love for his sister Devki and married her off to Vasudev, one of the high ranking officer in his army.

On their marriage a heavenly prediction echoed that the eight child of Devki would be the slayer of Kansa. Feared by the prediction Kansa imprisoned Devki and Vasudev in the palace dungeon and ordered them to handover all their children to him. Kansa killed all the six new borns but could not kill the seventh child due to the divine intervention because that baby was born to Vasudev’s another wife Rohini. Thus Balram, the elder brother of Krishna was born.

However, when the eighth child was born, a miracle occurred. The gates of the dungeon flew open, the guards fell asleep and a voice from the heavens commanded Vasudev to take his child to Gokul where his friend Nand and his wife Yashodha lived and exchange his son for their daughter. Thus, Kansa's plan to kill Krishna was foiled and This eighth child grew up as Yashoda and Nand’s son in Gokul and later killed his maternal uncle Kansa, freeing all the people of Mathura from his atrocities.

Significance of Janmashtami
Krishna means the most attractive. He is the divinity, the energy, that pulls everything to it. Janamashtami, commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, born to destroy Kansa, the evil king of Mathura. Thus, birthday of Lord Krishna holds much significance in India and celebrated in different forms. This festival offers an Occasions for social get together and exchange of good wishes. Devotees observes fasts and indulge themselves in pooja ceremonies. The fast signifies the controlling of the senses and indulging themselves in activities that takes them to the divine enlightenment and destroys the ego within.