While many temples organise pujas, communities organize dance-drama events called Rasa Lila or Krishna Lila as well. (Photo: Soumyabrata Gupta)

Krishna Janmahtami or Gokulashtami is an annual Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna. It is observed according to Hindu luni-solar calendar, on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Shrawana of the Hindu Calendar.

Devotees celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna through fasting, singing, praying together, preparing and sharing special food, night vigils and visiting Krishna or Vishnu temples.

While many temples organise pujas, communities organize dance-drama events called Rasa Lila or Krishna Lila as well.

Enacted by artists, the tradition of Rasa Lila is particularly popular in Mathura region, in northeastern states of India such as Manipur and Assam, and in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

For those who are fasting during Janmashtami, they should not consume grains until parana when the fast is broken on the next day after sunrise.

For the Janmashtami fast, parana is done on next day after sunrise when Ashtami Tithi and Rohini Nakshatra is over.

Devotees take a sankalpa for a day-long fast on that is broken only on the next day.

Devotees also sing devotional sings, chant ‘Vishnu Sahasranamam’ and indulge in a ritual of placing Krishna’s idol in a cradle.

Tithi

Ashtami tithi begins: 8:47 pm on September 2, 2018

Ashtami tithi ends: 7:20 pm on September 3, 2018