Krishna Janmashtami, also called Gokulashtami, is a Hindu festival that occurs annually. It is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna. According to the Panchanga or Hindu calendar, it falls on the eighth day (Ashtami) in the month of Shravana. In the western Gregorian calendar, this is usually in the month of August or September.
In 2024, Gokulashtami falls on 26th of August. It is observed as a holiday in many private and public organizations.
Janmashtami 2024
The diversity in India makes it the ideal setting for the celebration of various festivals in harmony and joy. One of these occasions, Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2024, honours the birth of who is an avatar of Lord Vishnu. It takes place on the eighth day of the Bhadrapada month and is also called Gokulashtami. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu took the form of Krishna Bhagwan on Earth in order to kill Kansa, a demon who was Devaki’s brother.
Krishna Janmashtami 2025-2029
| Date | Day | States |
| 15 August 2025 | Friday | Krishna Janmashtami |
| 4 September 2026 | Friday | Krishna Janmashtami |
| 25 August 2027 | Wednesday | Krishna Janmashtami |
| 13 August 2028 | Sunday | Krishna Janmashtami |
| 1 September 2029 | Saturday | Krishna Janmashtami |
Krishna Janmashtami 2024
This festival’s puja vidhi is very important because Laddoo Gopal’s birth is the focus of all preparations. To ensure that you get the most out of this puja, we have provided a detailed puja vidhi below:
- In the morning, take a bath and put on fresh clothing.
- Start the puja preparations at night by decorating Sri Krishna’s palna, or cradle, and use Gangajal to clean the shrine.
- Observe dhyana to start the puja. Respectfully place the Lord Krishna idol on the palna. If you do not have a palna, you can also use a wooden chowki.
- Offering water to the feet of a deity is referred to as padya. Offer the Lord arghya.
- Perform achaman, which is the act of offering water to the Lord and then drinking it.
- To carry out the Lord’s snana ceremony, pour the idol with the Panchamrit’s five ingredients: milk, curd, honey, ghee, and and gangajal.
- Gather the five ingredients, then later prepare Panchamrit using them as prasad.
- Decorate the idol with new clothing and accessories which is called the deity’s shringaar.
- Present the sacred janeu to God. Then, apply Chandan paste on the deity.
- Adorn the idol with a crown, jewellery, mor pankh, and bansuri.
- Give the deity flowers and Tulsi leaves. Light an incense stick and oil lamp.
- Offer Makhan and Mishree as the bhog to the Lord. Present the God with a tambulam made of coconut, betel nuts, haldi, paan, and kumkum.
- Sing Kunj Bihari’s aarti to honour the Lord and then carry out a parikrama.
- Join your hands and ask the Lord to keep you and your family safe from all harm as you pray together.
Krishna Janmashtami 2024
According to Hindu scriptures, Sri Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva in the city of Mathura on the Ashtami Tithi, or the eighth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada. Kansa, the demon king of Mathura, was the brother of Devaki. A prophecy stated that Kansa would be killed by the eighth son of Devaki as a result of his sins. Kansa therefore put his own sister and her husband in prison.
To prevent the prophecy from happening, he attempted to kill Devaki’s children immediately after their birth. When Devaki gave birth to her eighth child, the whole palace was put into a deep sleep by magic. Vasudeva was able to protect the infant from Kansa’s wrath by taking him during the night to Yashodha and Nanda’s home in Vrindavan. This infant was a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who later took the name Sri Krishna and killed Kansa, ending his reign of terror.
Astrological Significance of Krishna Janmashtami
The story of Lord Krishna’s birth is undoubtedly incredibly fascinating and enthralling. He was born during the Krishna Paksha, or waning moon phase, in the Rohini Nakshatra of the Asthami tithi. According to the Hindu calendar, he was born in the month of Bhadrapada. As a result, these astrological calculations are used to determine the Sri Krishna Janmashtami dates and times. He is the protector who keeps the world from being destroyed by adharma and its adherents.
Kansa was killed by Krishna because of all his evil deeds. Lord Vishnu therefore takes on various incarnations on the earth to restore the rule of dharma whenever the world is overtaken by chaos and terror.
Janmashtami Rituals
The rituals performed on Krishna Janmashtami have a lot to do with why people of all ages love this festival. Here are some of the significant customs connected to this day:
- On occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, devotees fast all day. The entire day is dedicated to remembering the Lord, and the fast concludes at midnight, which is thought to be the time of Lord Krishna’s birth.
- All day long, devotees chant the Lord’s name, filling the air with their devotion and dedication. A lot of devotional songs are sung, particularly at Krishna temples.
- Elaborate skits retelling Krishna’s life story and his different leelas are performed. Children dressed as Krishna and his Gopis perform Raas Leela.
- Because Makhan was so dear to Lord Krishna, it is an essential delicacy. To appease little Gopal, devotees offer sweets made with milk, dry fruits, sugar, and khoya.
- To help us remember Krishna’s teachings and the meaning of life, passages from the Bhagavad Gita are recited aloud.
Legends Related to Krishna Janmashtami
When Devaki gave birth to her eighth son, the kingdom of Mathura was put to sleep by divine intervention. Vasudeva was able to take use of the situation and sneak his infant out of Mathura. In the heavy downpours, Krishna was carried in a basket. Shesnag, who is known as the king of the snakes protected the two with his five-headed hood. Vasudeva could manage to cross the Yamuna River and arrive at Gokul with the help of divine forces. Vasudeva brought his son here and left him with Yashoda and Nanda, his foster parents.
On the other hand, Yashoda had given birth to a girl who was deemed to be Goddess Durga’s incarnation. Vasudeva took the infant girl back to Mathura. He deceived Kansa into thinking that the prophecy of his demise at the hands of Devaki’s eighth son is untrue, which made him feel relieved and happy. Every year, devotees rejoice over the birth of Krishna, their lord and protector, by celebrating the festival of Janmashtami with a great deal of enthusiasm and excitement.
Krishna Janmashtami around the World
Krishna Janmashtami is observed with great excitement all across the world. Various states in India as well as countries around the world celebrate this festival in different ways.
North India:
The biggest festival in north India is Janmashtami. On this day, people celebrate the Raas Leela custom. Another activity that happens in Jammu on Krishna Janmashtami is kite flying.
Northeastern and Eastern India:
On Janmashtami, the residents of Manipur perform the Radha-Krishna Raslila, a dance drama inspired by love. Parents read aloud from the Bhagavata Gita and the tenth chapter of the Bhagavata Purana while dressing up their kids as gopis and Krishna from Krishna’s stories.
West Bengal and Odisha:
Another name for the celebration is Sri Krishna Odisha. On Janmashtami, people fast and worship until midnight. Individuals recite the Bhagavata Purana’s 10th Purana, which is devoted to the life of Krishna. The following day is ‘Nanda Utsav,’ a festival honouring Krishna’s foster parents, Nanda and Yashoda.
Rajasthan and Gujarat:
A Makhan Handi ritual, which is identical to the Dahi Handi ritual, is practised in Gujarat to commemorate Krishna Janmashtami. Some individuals perform folk dances, sing bhajans, and go to temples of Lord Krishna.
Maharashtra:
Every year in August, people celebrate Janmashtami, also referred to as Gokulashtami. The day following Krishna Janmashtami is dedicated to the Dahi Handi festival. On this day, people smash the ‘Dahi Handi’ which is an earthen pot of yogurt. According to mythology, infant Krishna stole butter and yoghurt, so people would keep their milk products out of reach of Krishna.
To knock down these high-hanging pots, Krishna would think of all kinds of creative solutions, like building human pyramids with his friends. The idea of Dahi Handi, in which the spilled contents are known as Prasada, was thus born.
South India:
South India is very zealous in its celebration of Gokula Ashtami. Kolam is used to decorate floors in Tamil Nadu, and Krishna-honouring devotional songs are sung. To represent Krishna entering the house, they depict Krishna’s footsteps leading from the entrance to the pooja room. Butter, betel, and fruits are offered to Krishna.