Janmashtami celebrated in Brijbhumi as lakhs pay obeisance

Lakhs of devotees paid obeisance at different temples in Brijbhumi Vrindavan as the holy place reverberated with chants of Kanha on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami amid tight security, a senior officer said today.
At least 16 lakh devotees visited different temples and there was virtually a competition to push each other in order to have a glimps of 'Abhishek' (bathing ceremony) ofthe deity of Bhagwat Bhavan in the birthplace of Lord Krishna, last midnight, said Additional District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar.
"While several thousand were lucky to have rarest of rare view, several lakh could not enter even Bhagwat Bhavan at the time of Abhishek owing to an unprecedented rush", he said.

Since darshan timings were extended by Kapil Sharma, the secretary of Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, everybody could pay obeisance in post Abhishek ceremony, he added.
"No untoward incident took place during the ceremony," said SSP Babloo Kumar.
There was a religious fervour when the atmosphere echoed with "Nand Ke Anand Bhaye Jai Kanhaiyalal Ki" and Lord Krishna appeared out of petals of a mechanical lotus, as the clock struck 12 in the midnight.

"Rose petals and scented water rained continuously for about an hour on the devotees through a mechanical device during the ceremony," said Kapil Sharma, secretary of Sri Krishna Janmasthan.

Prasadam including toffees, toys, fruits and clothes were tossed from the balcony of Bhagwat Bhavan as a huge crowd of devotees struggled to get their hands on the holy offering.
There were long queues for prasadam even till 4 in the morning, said Sharma.