Janmashtami (August 20)

Janmasthami is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna.  The rituals on this auspicious occasion are associated with various phases of his life.  People celebrate this festival with raasleelas (dramas), bhajan, kirtan, and preparation of ‘jhoolan’ or swing are some of the special attraction of the celebration where the idol of lord Krishna and His beloved Radha is kept and worshiped in the evening. Preparation of sweets and traditional goodies, dressing up small children the same way lord Krishna did in His childhood days, etc., are some of the other important aspects of this festival.

Krishna, the eighth of the 10 incarnations of  Lord Vishnu -- the Preserver of the Universe.  Krishna was born at Mathura to Vasudeva and Devaki.

Legend has it that when Devaki was with child, she glowed with an almost unearthly light. When Krishna was born, everything was auspicious—the planets and stars were in the right position, the rivers and lakes were clear and sweet, flowers bloomed everywhere, and an air of tranquility pervaded the earth. As the newborn child came into the world, Vasudeva and Devaki looked at him in wonder -- the Lord had appeared in his real form. Vasudeva had been commanded to take the child and leave him in Gokul, in the house of Nanda.

Vasudeva placed the child in a small wicker basket and as he wondered how to get across the locked doors, a miracle took place. The locks snapped open. Vasudeva walked towards the door and found that the guards were all sunk in deep sleep. He quickly walked out and reached the banks of the river Yamuna. Suddenly, the sky became overcast and torrents of rain lashed the ground. Vasudeva did not know how he was going to cross the river, but, placing his faith in the Lord, he plunged into the water. The great serpent Adisesha, with his two thousand hoods, protected the child from the rain and the water in the Yamuna receded to give way to Vasudeva.

In his childhood, the incarnate God performed many other miracles, but also played childish pranks that have been immortalized in the rich folklore of India. His flirtations with the wives and daughters of the cowherds (gopis) are legendary. Nevertheless, his favorite gopi was the beautiful Radha. Eventually, he gave up his idyllic pastoral life, and turned his attention to destroying his wicked uncle, Kansa.