The temples are brightly done up and the image of Krishnais bathed with curd, milk, honey, dry fruit and basil or tulasi leaves. Devotional songs are sung till midnight in anticipation of baby Krishna. Special cradles are installed at temples and a small statue of the baby god is placed in them. At exactly midnight, temple bells are rung to announce the birth of Krishna. Everyone gets a chance to rock the cradle of the newborn and arati is performed.

According to the Puranas, Vishnu took the avatara of Krishna to slay the evil king of Mathura, Kansa. He was born as Krishna in the 28th year of the Dwapara Yuga. According to a legend, during the marriage of his dear cousin Devi and Vasudeva, an oracle foretold Kansa that Devi's eight child would be responsible for his death. Enraged, Kansa prisoned the newly wed couple. Soon, he killed six of their children. The seventh child however was transferred to the womb of Rohini, another of Vasudeva's wives, and Kansa believed that Devaki had suffered a miscarriage.

When she was pregnant with the eighth child, despite the greater security in the prisons, at midnight on the eighth day in the month of Shravana, Krishna was born. Divinely guided, Vasudeva carried Krishna across the flooded Yamuna river, under the protection of the huge serpent Sesha Naga's hood, to a village called Gokul. There, he left Krishna in care of his sister Yashoda and her husband Nanda and hurried back to the prison.

Krishna Janmashtami is also a very community oriented festival. Exciting games are played during this time like breaking of the dahi handi or 'pot of curd'. A terracotta pot containing milk, butter and curd is hung high up across a street. Groups of men form a pyramid to try and break this pot. The group that succeeds is named the winner. This is how Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated. Hope you have a great festival !

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