Janmashtami 2024: Timings, and rituals to mark Lord Krishna's birthday

On Monday, August 26, Krishna Janmashtami, will be observed to mark Lord Krishna's 5251st birthday. To commemorate the day, the auspicious Puja and other customs will be held

On Monday, August 26, 2024, India will observe Janmashtami, the grand celebration of Lord Krishna's birth, with a great religious fervour and devotion. 

This day marks Lord Krishna's 5251st birthday. Krishna was the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu deity. 

Krishna Janmashtami 2024: Date and Timings

    • Krishna Janmashtami Date- Monday, August 26, 2024

    • Nishita Puja Time-                      12:01 AM to 12:45 AM, August 27, 2024

    • Dahi Handi-                                Tuesday, August 27, 2024

 

    • Parana Time-                      After 12:45 AM, August 27, 2024

    • Ashtami Tithi starts-            03:39 AM, August 26, 2024

    • Ashtami Tithi finishes-             02:19 AM, August 27, 2024

    • Rohini Nakshatra starts-             03:55 PM, August 26, 2024

    • Rohini Nakshatra finishes- 03:38 PM, August 27, 2024.

Janmashtami: Rituals 

The day before Krishna Janmashtami, devotees typically observe a one-meal fast. On Janmashtami, after the morning rituals have been performed, the actual fast begins. A formal declaration of intention (Sankalpa) to mark the fast is made at this point. 

Ashtami Tithi, or the eighth lunar day, and Rohini Nakshatra, or the star constellation, are considered to mark the traditional end of the fast. 

However, there are devotees who choose to end their fast on either day. According to the Vedic calendar, Nishita Kaal, or midnight, is the most fortunate time for Krishna Puja.

Janmashtami 2024: Significance

Krishna was believed to have been born on Ashtami Tithi, which falls during the Krishna Paksh, the moon's waning phase in the Bhadrapada month. 

Janmashtami is more than just a festival. It's a spiritual event that brings people together to remember Lord Krishna's teachings and his role as a guide for humanity, encouraging them to live a life of righteousness and devotion.

How to celebrate Janmashtami?

Janmashtami is celebrated in India with a wide variety of rituals and practices. The celebrations are especially lively in Krishna's birthplaces of Mathura and Vrindavan. Flowers and brightly coloured lights are used to decorate temples. Processions, devotional songs, and dramatic interpretations of Krishna's life are all performed by the public. 

Some of the most fascinating aspects of Janmashtami are the elaborate designs and motifs that are used to decorate houses and temples in honour of Krishna's life. The story of Krishna's childhood is brought to life through painting and storytelling. Pure devotion is shown to his life of celestial adventures, silly pranks, and encounters with demons.