JANMASHTAMI : The Birthday Of Krishna

Eight days after the full moon of Shravan, falls the festival of Janmashtami, the birthday of Krishna. For centuries this story has been relived every year on this dark, rainy night. Krishna, the divine son of Devaki and Vasudeva was born on a stormy night in a prison because his parents were imprisoned by Karnsa, the wicked king of Mathura. Karnsa, who was the brother of Devaki, killed all her children at birth because he had been warned that her eighth child would kill him.

But on the rainy night when Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, was born, the doors of the prison opened automatically and Vasudeva, putting the newborn into a basket under blankets, carried him across the Yamuna river, then in spate. As the toe of the divine child touched the water, the river parted for Vasudeva to pass. Krishna was given to Nand and Yashoda, his foster parents in Gokul, and the newborn daughter of Yashoda, an incarnation of Parvati, was taken to replace Krishna. She was killed by Karnsa. Thus Devi is considered the sister of Krishna throughout this avatar.

On Janmashtami, devotees fast till midnight and after they have rocked an idol of baby Krishna in a flower-bedecked cradle, eat a feast of sweet yoghurt, kheer, rice, puris and aloo shak. Children are specially invited to this feast for which they stay awake till midnight. A tiny cradle, often made of silver, is worshipped in many homes as a symbol of Krishna's birth and divine promise to deliver the world from evil forces.

The next day, hundies or pots of yoghurt and butter are tied high up in every community square or street and human pyramids are formed in order to break them. Dahikala or Govinda, as the festival of tying pots of yoghurt and milk, and breaking them is called, is a special event in Bombay and other cities of Maharashtra.