Janmashtami: The History, Relevance and the Festivities

The lively festival of Janmashtami honors the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth manifestation of Lord Vishnu. This particular day recalls the triumph of good over evil and is extensively observed throughout the country. The festival, also known as Krishna Ashtami, Saatam Aatam, Ashtami Rohini, Gokulashtami, Sree Jayanti, and Nandotsav, will take place on Monday, August 26, 2024.

The name ‘Janmashtami’ comes from a combination of the two terms – ‘Janm’ and ‘Ashtami’.'Ashtami' denotes the eighth day, while 'Janm' means birth. Vasudev and Devaki gave birth to Lord Krishna, Vishnu's eighth avatar, on this day. This historic event occurred on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha, in the month of Bhadrapada.

Celebrations of Janmashtami:

Lord Krishna was born at the stroke of twelve on the eighth day, coinciding with the Rohini Nakshatra's occurrence. This event aligns with the Shravan period in the Amanta calendar and the Bhadrapada period in the Purnimantha calendar, which falls between August and September in the Gregorian calendar. Every year, the precise date changes based on the moon cycle.

The Legend of Sri Krishna Jayanti:

According to the legends, Lord Krishna was born as the eighth child to Princess Devaki and Vasudeva, who were from the Yadava clan in Mathura. Devaki's brother, King Kansa, had killed all of her previous children in response to a prophecy foretelling the death of her eighth son. To protect Krishna, Vasudeva secretly sent him to Gokul, where Nanda and Yashoda nurtured him.

Celebrations of Sri Krishna Jayanti:

Across India, there are various ways to celebrate Janmashtami:

• Fasting:Participants fast till midnight, the hour of Krishna's birth.
• Cradle Ceremony: A small cradle with a statue of Krishna is placed, and prayers are offered. Most of the people usually choose to purchase and bring to their home new Silver idols of Lord Krishna and pray to it on this auspicious day. To make the idol look even more divine on this special day, people adorn it with silver jewelry, including necklaces, rings, crowns, and more.
• On this day, people gather to sing devotional songs and recite verses from the Bhagavad Gita, adding a heartfelt touch to their celebration.
• In Maharashtra, people form human pyramids to break a clay pot filled with buttermilk, celebrating Lord Krishna’s love for butter during Dahi Handi. These vibrant events often turn into exciting competitions with impressive prizes.
• Devotees travel to temples in Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh to honor the festival.
• The Dwarkadhish temple in Dwarka sparkles with priceless gold and silver jewelry, making the image of Lord Krishna come to life.
• In Jammu, people celebrate Krishna Janmashtami with a burst of color by flying kites, adding a lively touch to the festivities.
• The ISKCON Temple in Imphal celebrates the Krishna Janma festival with great zeal and dedication. 
• In Eastern India, people fast throughout the day and offer sweets to Krishna at midnight.
• In West Bengal's Nabadwip and Odisha's Puri, people carry out important rites during the festival.
• In Southern India, homes are adorned with small flour footprints, symbolizing the mischievous butter raids of baby Krishna.

Significance of Silver Jewelry

Like any other Indian holiday, Silver Jewelry or Silver Items are extremely important in terms of tradition and culture, and should be included in any way possible. Here are some ways to incorporate the wellness and good fortune of silver jewelry into this wonderful occasion:

1. Festive Decor: The decorations for these festivities involve the usage of silver jewelry and things in a variety of ways. Most people choose to buy silver idols of Lord Krishna, whether they are colorful or colorless and attractive. The ornamentation also includes boosting the idol's beauty and grandeur with silver crowns, necklaces, earrings, a flute (Bansuri), and so on.

2. Silver decorations for temples and residences, such as bells (ghanti), door hangings (Toran), and idol swings (Jhula), help to raise the holy day spirit.

3. Puja Items: During Puja rituals, offerings are held in silver thalis, bowls, and pitchers. They add an extra special touch to their devotion by offering sweets and offering prayers to the idol.

Essential Items for Krishna Janmashtami Rituals:

Idols and Decorations:

• Lord Krishna's idol/image
• Fresh flowers and garlands
• Peacock feather
• Jhula (swing) for the idol

Puja Essentials:

• Puja plate
• Kumkum, Haldi, Chandan, Akshat
• Incense sticks, camphor, diya, cotton wicks, matchbox/lighter
• Gangajal, Tulsi leaves

Offerings and Food:

• Fruits (bananas, apples, grapes, etc.)
• Sweets (laddu, peda)
• Milk products (milk, butter, ghee, curd, paneer)
• Cooked dishes (poha, kheer, etc.)

Clothes and Accessories for the Idol:

• New Colorful Paushak for Bal Gopal Ji.
• Jewelry and bansuri 

Additional Items:

• Bhajan CDs/playlists
• Flute/mridanga
• Toran (door hangings)
• Rangoli colors
• Small bells (ghanti)

Celebrate Janmashtami with Khushbu Jewellers !

Join in the celebrations of Lord Krishna's birth with our special rituals and high quality 925 silver jewelry. We offer silver idols, detailed silver jewelry for gods, and beautiful pieces for you. Shop our online store for our beautiful silver jewelry. 

Learn more at www.khushbujewellers.com