Janamashtami 2024: When is Janmashtami being celebrated? 26th or 27th August?

Janmashtami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth or Janma of Lord Krishna on the eighth day or Ashtami in the month of Bhadrapada, which generally falls in August or September in the Gregorian calendar. Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva. In ancient times, Mathura was ruled by a cruel king Kansa, whose rule was marked by fear, cruelty, and terror.He imprisoned his own cousin’s sister and killed her newborns after hearing a prophecy that the eighth son of Vasudeva and Devaki would kill him. However, since Krishna was a divine being, the gods helped him escape this cruelty. On the night of his birth, all the guards at the prison miraculously fell asleep and Vasudev was able to run away from the prison along with baby Krishna. He travelled from Mathura to Vrindavan, where he left Krishna in his friend Nanda and his wife Yashoda’s care. When Krishna grew up, he returned to Mathura to end Kansa’s reign, thus fulfilling the prophecy. With Krishna’s birth, the countdown to the end of Kansa began. As per historians, it marks the triumph of good over evil, symbolized by Krishna’s life and teachings. Devotees fast, sing bhajans, and reenact the playful deeds of young Krishna through events like “Dahi Handi.” The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm across India, reflecting the love and reverence for Lord Krishna. On this auspicious day, prayers are offered for peace, prosperity, and the protection of dharma.

When will Janmashtami be celebrated this year?

Krishna Janmashtami is much revered in the Hindu religion and it is celebrated with great pomp and fervour by devotees across the world. Vrindavan and Mathura, where Krishna spent his early childhood, especially get ready to observe this day. This year marks the 5251st birthday of Lord Krishna. Devotees will celebrate Janmashtami on 26th August. According to Drik Panchang, Ashtami tithi will begin at 03:39 AM on August 26 and end at 02:19 AM on August 27.

When is Janmashtami being celebrated on 26th or 27th August?

The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated on the Ashtami Tithi of Krishna Paksha, but the festival is celebrated on two days depending on people’s belief system, i.e., the Smartas and the Vaisnavas. Smartas are the people belonging to the working/ materialistic class and Vaishnavs are the ones who are on their path to take Sanyas. According to the Drik Panchang, the festival falls on two consecutive days. The Vaishnavas or ISKCON devotees follow the Ashtami Tithi and Rohini Nakshatra. According to Vaishnavas, Janmashtami always falls on the Ashtami or Navami Tithi of the Hindu calendar. This year, the ISKCON Janmashtami Tithi is on 27th August. On the other hand, the Smartas follow the Hindu midnight or Nishtha Muhrat, and according to them Janmashtami always falls on the Saptami or Ashtami Tithi of the Hindu calendar, hence they will celebrate it on the 26th August.

Following are the correct timings for rituals during the day:

– Rohini Nakshatra starts: August 26, 2024, at 03:55 PM
– Rohini Nakshatra ends: August 27, 2024, at 03:38 PM
– Parana Time: August 27, 2024 – 12:11 AM
– Nishita Puja Timings: August 26, 2024, from 11:26 PM to 12:11 AM, August 27
– Dahi Handi: August 24, 2024
(According to the Vedic calendar, Nishita Kaal, or midnight, is the most fortunate time for Krishna Puja.)

How is it celebrated?

The day before Janmashtami, devotees observe a fast until midnight, the hour of Lord Krishna’s birth. The idol of Krishna is bathed with milk and water, and decorated with flowers and new clothes. Temples and shrines are decorated to depict Krishna’s early childhood. People sing devotional songs and dance to express their joy. Processions are taken out, showing dramatic representations of Krishna’s life. The following day, pots of milk are hung at tall places in the street, and men form human pyramids to reach and break them. This is done in imitation of Krishna’s childhood antics, who loved butter and would steal it whenever he got the chance, with the help of his friends.
Bhagvad Gita quotes by Shri Krishna
1. “You have the right to perform your duty, but not to the fruits thereof.”
(Bhagavad Gita 2:47)
2. “For one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, the mind will remain the greatest enemy.”
(Bhagavad Gita 6:6)
3. “Whatever happened, happened for the good. Whatever is happening, is happening for the good. Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good.”
(Bhagavad Gita 2:47)
4. “Change is the law of the universe. You can be a millionaire, or a pauper in an instant.”
(Bhagavad Gita 2:14)
5. “The soul is neither born, and nor does it die.”
(Bhagavad Gita 2:20)