Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami

The Krishna Janmashtami is one of the major religious occasions in Nepal. It is recognized simply as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami. Janmashtami is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna. Krishna is worshiped as the eighth incarnation of Lord Bishnu.  Bishnu is the preserver God among the Trinity Gods of Hinduism. The eight-day(Ashtami) of Shravan Krishna Ashtami or Bhadrapad (depending on whether the calendar chooses the new moon or full moon day as the last day of the month) of the Lunisolar calendar. It falls in the month of August or sometimes in September of the Gregorian calendar.

Krishna Janmashtami is a popular occasion in Nepal and throughout the Hindu communities. The festival reminds us of a general triumph of good over evil. Hindu Epic like Krishna Charit and Mahabharat tells about Krishna’s battles with evil beings and his ultimate victory over the forces of darkness.

Krishna Temples all over the country mark the festival of glory. People conduct Krishna Charit, Kansha Badh, and Rash Leela-like performances at midnight to remember Lord Krishna. Devotees keep on day-long fasting, worship Krishna, and offer milk products to the icon of Krishna. Flowers, sweets, curd, and food items are the main offerings to God. The celebration includes singing, dancing, bhajan, and reenactment. The temples are festively decorated and glorified on the day.

Visit Patan Durbar Square on Janmashtami

Patan Durbar Square is one of the important monuments of UNESCO World Heritage sites of Kathmandu Valley.  Krishna Temple is a unique attraction of Patan. The Krishna temple is the most visited temple in Durbar Square. The temple is fully made up of stone.  It is perhaps the finest stone-wrought monument of Kathmandu Valley. The temple follows the Shikhara architectural style. Shikhara style is commonly found in the Indian Subcontinent. The stone beams of the temples are carved with the incidents of Mahabharat and Ramayan mythology. Tens of thousands of visitors visit the Krishna temple premises on the Day of Janmashtami. Krishna Mandir glorifies with decorative lights, garlands, and offerings.

Many foreign tourist demands a sightseeing tour of Patan Durbar Square on the day. Visiting the Krishna temple on the day is a good opportunity to explore the cultural and religious aspects of Nepalese society.

Photography tour on Krishna Ashtami

Janmashtami is a nice opportunity for a Photography tour to collect the festival mood of Kathmandu valley. The decorative lights and the colorful outlook glorifies the Krishna temples. It is a wonderful opportunity to capture such colorful festive moments through your lenses. Huge crowds gather around Patan Durbar Square and perform in the streets with Bhajan Songs, and dances. The devotee presents themselves in a crazy mood. The entire scenario is worth capturing as wonderful moments.

Janmashtami – a favorite celebration among Kids

Little kids of kindergarten dress up like Lord Krishna and Radha (goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion). Parents and teachers make them dress up in yellow clothing in a fashionable way. It is very common to see hundreds of children in a similar get up on the day of celebration. Kids love the festival and assume themselves as Lord Krishna and Radha.

Places to visit on Krishna Ashtami

All the temples of Lord Krishna receive a good number of visitors on the day of Krishna Janmashtami. The Krishna temple located at the Durbar Squares of Patan, Bhaktapur, and Kathmandu is the major site of Kathmandu valley. Furthermore, the ISCON temple at Budanilkantha, and the other Bishnu Temples of the valley.

Shree Krishna Janmashtami dates

Shree Krishna Janmashtami, more simply referred to as Janmashtami, is a Hindu holiday taking place every year in the month of Bhadrapada. On the Gregorian Calendar, it falls sometime in August or September.

Final Thought

Kathmandu Valley, being a cultural and religious center of Nepalese people, preserves historical monuments, temples, and monasteries. These temples and monasteries have strong ties with the cultural aspects of the society. They play a managerial role to conduct related performances and organize festivals. The festival season begins in the month of August. Several festivals are conducted between the months of August to November. All these festivals are either conducted in those monuments sites or carried here from other temples located in different corners of the valley. Going for cultural sightseeing at these UNESCO heritage sites is the best option to witness all these cultural activities. Among them, Krishna Janmashtami is the perfect time to visit the cultural sites of Kathmandu valley including Krishna Mandir of Patan Durbar Square. Furthermore, it is advisable to take a 3-5 day holiday to explore the religious and cultural aspects of the valley.