Krishna Janmashtami

Hey fellow adventurers! There’s going to be two posts today. The first is the usual post and the second is this one about Krishna Janmashtami since that takes place today, on the 14^th. Hope you enjoy them! 🙂

Krishna Janmashtami, usually just referred to as Janmashtami, is a Hindu holiday that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the god of compassion, tenderness, and love. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right. Janmashtami is one of the largest festivals in the Hindu world, and is observed on a different day each year since the date is determined by the lunisolar cycle rather than the Gregorian calendar.

The festivities take place over forty-eight hours. For the first event, Krishan Ashtami, Hindus wake up before dawn to sing and pray in honor of Krishna. Some will also dance and preform dramatic rituals that tell the story of Krishna’s birth and life. A lot of Hindus will also fast in his honor. Vigils (staying awake during a time people normally sleep to keep watch or pray) are held until midnight when it is believed that the deity was born. Sometimes, people will also bathe and dress statues of the baby Krishna to commemorate his birth. On the second day, Janam Ashtami, Hindus will break their fast of the previous day with elaborate meals that often contain milk or cheese curds, said to be two of Krishna’s favorite foods.

Until our next adventure!