Janmashtami (Smarta) in India

When did the Janmashtami (Smarta) in India start?

About Janmashtami (Smarta) in India Holiday

Janmashtami, or the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, is one of the most important days on the calendar in India. In 2023, the holiday will take place on September 6th.

Janmashtami is celebrated in multiple ways in India, especially by the Smarta tradition. Creating beautiful flower garlands, decorating homes with traditional clay lamps, partaking in traditional folk dances and gatherings, and observing a day of fasting are all tradition for Janmashtami. It’s a time to enjoy the presence of family and friends, as well as contemplate and celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.

Come experience the celebration of Janmashtami firsthand in India this year! Celebrate with the locals, take part in the festivities, and make memories that will last a lifetime. From the majestic temples and joyous gatherings, to the vibrant culture and spectacular sights, you’re sure to have a unique and unforgettable time here in India.

Janmashtami (Smarta) in India

History and Origin

Janmashtami (also known as Gokulashtami or Krishnashtami) is a Hindu festival that marks the birth of Lord Krishna, who is an avatar of Lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology. It celebrates the divine descent of Lord Krishna from Vaikuntha to earth as explained in the Srimad Bhagavatam. This festival is celebrated with much grandeur and enthusiasm in all the regions of India.

The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated mostly in the northern and western parts of India. It was first mentioned in the Mahabharata. The Janmashtami celebrations in India date back to the early 1st century BCE. During that time, some scriptures describe the birth of Lord Krishna as being celebrated with earthenware lamps, butter, and flowers. The festival is also mentioned in ancient epics and religious texts like the Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana, Markandeya Purana, and Bhagavata Purana.

Janmashtami is a widely celebrated Hindu festival that commemorates the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Lord Krishna, a sage and beloved ruler of the city of Mathura. In Hindus, Lord Krishna is seen as an embodiment of love and devotion. He is seen as a protector of the weak and a symbol of justice. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, Hindus come together to conduct several fasting ceremonies and special ceremonies to honor Lord Krishna, who brought a lot of goodness to the world.

Significance and Meaning

The festival of Janmashtami has immense spiritual and religious importance to Hindus. Believers gather around with full devotion to seek the divine blessings of Lord Krishna and partake in the divine practice of dahi-handi and listening to religious discourses about Krishna’s life and legends.

The meaning of Janmashtami is to remember the day when Lord Krishna was born. It is said that whoever pays homage to Krishna on this day will be blessed with His ultimate bliss and divine love. The festival of Janmashtami symbolizes harmony between God and human existence. The celebration of Janmashtami is a reminder to us of the presence of goodness and love in the world, even if it isn’t apparent at first glance.

On this day, devotees chant mantras and meditate on the power and glory of Lord Krishna, seeking his protection and grace in their lives. They also light lamps around the mandir, sing religious songs, fast, and perform the kirtans related to Krishna.

Traditions and Celebrations

The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated in many different ways throughout India. The traditional celebrations include fasting and visiting temples devoted to Lord Krishna to perform puja and offer prayers to the deity.

The most popular and intense celebration is the dahi-handi ritual. Giant earthenware pots are filled with buttermilk and kept at a height of thirty to forty feet. Then boys and young men in groups form human pyramids to break the handi and get the milk, which symbolizes a way to please Lord Krishna. In some places, they also add coins, fruits, and special sweets in the handi. The breaking of the handi is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm.

The other popular activities on the day of Janmashtami are singing devotional songs of Krishna, ‘mounting a stick’, playing ‘Bhajan Vandanas’ with musical instruments, enacting scenes from Lord Krishna’s life, and enacting the circular dance called ‘Raas Leela’ (the dancing of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha).

Geographical Spread

Janmashtami is a major Hindu festival celebrated mainly in the northern and western parts of India, and is especially popular in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Goa.

In Gujarat, the festival of Janmashtami is celebrated with great devotion. Janmashtami celebrations in Gujarat include kite flying, fervent prayers, and processions. In Rajasthan, it is celebrated as Nandostava with great grandeur and joy. People in the state don colorful dresses and gather around the temples to offer special prayers and visit the Lord Krishna’s statues.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Kaal Bhairava puja on Janmashtami is celebrated with traditional rites and rituals. Here, people offer prayers to Lord Kaal Bhairava, who is believed to have taken incarnation in order to destroy evil. In Uttar Pradesh, Janmashtami is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Mathura, Vrindavan, Ayodhya, Mathura, and Varanasi. Janmashtami is celebrated with extreme fervor in Maharashtra, with devotees waking up early on the day of Janmashtami and offering fresh fruits, flowers, and sweets to Lord Krishna.

Modern Day Observations

The modern day celebration of Janmashtami has gone beyond the traditional aspects, with several new activities added to the festival. While people still fast, visit temples, and perform prayers, they now also take part in competitions like dance and music shows, athletes ride the chariot of Lord Krishna, and host plays or dramas depicting the life of Lord Krishna. Many temples in the country also organize special events such as Dahi Handi competitions, musical plays, and varieties of entertainment shows and activities to celebrate Janmashtmi.

In some regions, Lord Krishna is depicted as a young child on the day of Janmashtami and activities like face painting, kite-flying, and some modern theatrical performances are held to celebrate the event. Modern day celebrations are also accompanied by colors, sounds, and electric lights.

Interesting Facts or Trivia

• Janmashtami is celebrated as birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
• One of the biggest janmashtami celebration happens in North India, especially in Mathura, where Lord Krishna is said to have been born.
• Dahi-handi is another popular ritual that takes place on the occasion of Janmashtami, where a pot is filled with butter, hung at a height of about 30–40 feet, and a group of people form human pyramids to reach it.
• Janmashtami is often celebrated over two days, with the celebration of Gokulashtami on first day and Shrinathji Yatra on the second day.
• Devotees dress up as Lord Krishna and his consort Radha on the day of Janmashtami.
• Janmashtami is also known as Sri Krishna Jayanti.
• Janmashtami shares its date of observance with other festivals such as Natraj Jayanti, Krishnashtami, and Jhula.

Holiday Wishes

1. May Lord Krishna fill your life with peace and love.
2. Wishing you joy and prosperity on the festival of Janmashtami.
3. May Lord Krishna bless you and your family on this auspicious occasion.
4. Wishing you a happy Janmashtami filled with eternal love, bliss and happiness.
5. Wishing you a joyous Janmashtami, may Lord Krishna fill your life with joy and happiness.

Holiday Messages

1. May Lord Krishna bless you with peace and joy. Happy Janmashtami!
2. May the festival of Janmashtami bring you lots of joy, peace, and prosperity.
3. Wishing you a very happy Janmashtami, filled with devotion and celebration.
4. Let us celebrate Janmashtami with pure devotion and rejoice in the birth of Lord Krishna.
5. Wishing you a blessed and wonderful Janmashtami!

Holiday Quotes

1. “God’s mercy and grace flows freely to the devoted who celebrate his birth.” – Ramachandra Dattatrya Apte
2. “Celebrate the festival of Janmashtami on this day, to honor Lord Krishna, for he is the one who gave us the Bhagavad Gita.” – Anonymous
3. “Through the birth of Lord Krishna, may peace and joy enter your life.” – Anonymous
4. “On the occasion of Janmashtami, may the divine love of Lord Krishna protect and guide you.” – Anonymous
5. “An auspicious occasion of Janmashtami, may you be blessed with an abundance of joy and prosperity.” – Anonymous

Other Popular Holiday Info

Janmashtami (Smarta) in India is also celebrated in a lot of different ways. It is a time for people to get together and celebrate with friends and family. People exchange gifts, visit temples, and play holi, or the traditional game of bowling. Sweets like laddus, pedas, and barfis are exchanged to commemorate the festival.

Janmashtami (Smarta) is also a great time to give alms and help to the less fortunate. Charitable organizations often host events on Janmashtami when people can contribute their share of extra funds or leftover food to help those in need. Prasad-sharing and food donation drives are a popular way of celebrating Janmashtami (Smarta).

Janmashtami (Smarta) also provides people with a chance to reconnect with their faith and culture. People take part in traditional religious activities like worship, listening to stories of Lord Vishnu and Krishna, doing aarti, and watching plays on the stories of Vishnu and Krishna.

In recent years, the festival has become a means of encouraging cultural exchange. People go to the local temples on Janmashtami (Smarta) to learn more about the roots of Hindu mythology. There are also parades and festive dances of different cultures celebrated in the streets of many cities in the country.

Despite the changing times, the celebration of Janmashtami (Smarta) remains a source of entertainment, unity, and hope for many Indians. As the nation embarks on the road to a bright future, festivals like Janmashtami will continue to keep the spirit of India alive in all our hearts.