Janamashthami Pooja and Celebration

Janmashtami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, who is considered the eighth incarnation (avatar) of the Hindu god Vishnu.

The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion, where it is one of the major festivals. People observe fasts, sing devotional songs, and participate in various cultural events and performances. In temples, elaborate decorations are put up, and the deity is adorned with new clothes and jewelry.

One of the most famous traditions associated with Janmashtami is the Dahi Handi celebration. In this event, kids and young men/women form human pyramids to reach and break a pot filled with buttermilk, which is tied at a height. This tradition symbolizes the mischievous nature of Lord Krishna, who was known for stealing butter as a child.

Devotees also read from the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text that contains the teachings of Lord Krishna, and participate in night-long prayers and bhajans (devotional songs) to celebrate his birth.