Introduction

Krishna Janmashtami, or Krishna Jayanthi, is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. It will be held on August 16th, 2025. Lord Krishna is a significant figure in Hindu mythology, and there are many stories about him and his wit and bravery. One of my all-time favourites is when he lifted Mount Govardhan to protect his village from a storm. I think that story shows how courageous and powerful he was! So read on if you’re curious to learn more about the Krishna Jayanthi festival or want some ideas for Krishna Jayanthi celebration with your family!

Why is Krishna Jayanthi/Janmashtami Celebrated?

They are not different and are indeed the same! Janmashtami is the more common name for the Krishna Jayanthi festival and is used more often in North India. In South India, however, Jayanthi is a common name for this festival. However, both terms refer to the same festival—the birth of Lord Krishna. The words are used interchangeably, and there is no difference in the meaning or the significance of the two.

The Krishna Jayanthi festival is celebrated all over India with great gusto and enthusiasm. It is a festival that is dear to the hearts of many Hindus and is a cherished time to come together and celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.

How Are Krishna Janmashtami and Krishna Jayanthi Different?

People celebrating Krishna Janmashtami

They are not different and are indeed the same! Janmashtami is the more popular name and is more commonly used in North India, while Jayanthi is more prevalent in South India. However, both terms refer to the same festival – the birthday of Lord Krishna. The words are used interchangeably, and there is no difference in the meaning or the significance of the two.

Krishna Jayanthi is celebrated all over India with great gusto and enthusiasm. It is a festival that is dear to the hearts of many Hindus and is a cherished time to come together and celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.

What Is the Story of Krishna Jayanthi?

Krishna and Radha

The story of Krishna Jayanthi goes back to when Lord Krishna was born. His mother, Devaki, was imprisoned by her brother, King Kansa. A prophecy had told Kansa that one of Devaki’s sons would kill him, so he kept her locked up to prevent this from happening.

Despite the precautions taken by Kansa, Krishna was born, and he was smuggled out of prison by his father, Vasudeva. Nanda and Yashoda then raised Krishna in Gokul. Krishna began to perform miracles as he grew up and exhibited superhuman strength. He eventually killed King Kansa, fulfilling the prophecy.

Every year, Krishna Jayanthi celebrations take place on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Hindu lunar month of Shravana, which falls between August and early September. It marks the occasion of Lord Krishna’s birth. The Krishna Jayanthi festival is celebrated with great fervour and devotion in both temples and homes. On this day, devotees fast and perform special puja (worship). Lord Krishna Janmashtami is also known as Krishnashtami, Krishna Jayanthi, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, and Srijayanti.

Popular Stories of Child Krishna for kids

Putana’s failed attempt to kill Krishna

When Kansa learned that Devaki’s eighth kid was safe, he was in extreme anguish. He decided to find a way to kill the baby and asked Putana, a terrifying demoness, to help him. Putana was a frightening-looking demoness with long hair, long claws, fangs that stuck out of her mouth, and a tongue that was stained with blood. Kansa instructed Putana to slaughter all infants under the age of 10 days in his realm since he didn’t know where Krishna was.

Putana gladly agreed to the mission since the deaths would make the kingdom’s citizens fear her. She then set about murdering all little children comparable to Krishna. When she eventually arrived in Krishna’s hamlet, she learned about Yashoda’s son, who was said to be unique. The terrible demon understood that Krishna must be the kid.

Putana had been forewarned by Kansa that Krishna was no ordinary kid and would not be easily killed. In order to fool the locals and Krishna’s parents, she changed into a lovely girl. She poisoned her breasts with a fatal snake’s venom before going to his house.

She went to Krishna’s house, said hello to everyone, and then asked Yashoda for permission to feed the tiny child. Yashoda lets the disguised demoness feed him, not realising her evil motives. Putana brings Krishna outside and begins giving him poisoned milk. Afterwards, she experienced the sensation that the baby was suffocating her. Despite her efforts to free the infant’s jaws, Krishna had firmly gripped her. She then changed into a monster to frighten the infant. Krishna didn’t flinch. She then took to the skies in an effort to persuade the youngster to let go. Then Krishna drained her of all life, and she collapsed to the ground.

The spectacle terrified the locals, who hurried to save Krishna. They discovered a small child laughing and playing on the demon’s corpse.

Krishna and his love for butter.

Gokula, the village where Krishna resided, was populated by “Gopalas,” or cow herders. As a result, the community had an excess of milk, curds, and butter. Krishna loved butter and would take advantage of every chance to steal a pot from his mother or any other mother in the village. In order to prevent Krishna or his pals from getting to the butter pots, all the moms, or “Gopis,” as they were known, began hanging them to the ceiling.

Krishna would collaborate with his companions to reach these pots, which were fastened to the ceiling quite high up. They would either climb up to the roof and move the ceiling tiles or stand on each other’s shoulders to make a human ladder. They would throw a stone at the saucepan and take turns collecting the butter with their open lips if none of the other methods succeeded.

When the Gopis found out that Krishna was the main person who stole the butter, they told Krishna’s mother, Yashoda. Yashoda apologised to the women and promised to correct Krishna. Krishna, a cheeky little boy, decided to trick the Gopis. He went and took all the women’s clothing from the riverbank after they had all gone to the river to take a bath. He stated that he would only return their clothing if they pledged to quit criticising his mother.

When Yashoda learned about this, she was unable to correct Krishna and instead chained him to a large staff. Krishna chose to walk beside the river where his buddies might assist him because he was unable to free himself. He began to move through the jungle when he became trapped between two trees that were positioned closely together.

Krishna pulled so vehemently that the trees were uprooted. Yashoda rushed to the scene to check on her little son, but instead she witnessed how effortlessly he had downed two trees. She learned more about Krishna’s amazing abilities as a result of this occurrence.

Krishna’s miraculous escape

Yashoda had taken Krishna to a rural fair when he was a newborn. After lunch, when everyone was full, Yashoda left Krishna to sleep under a bullock wagon. Krishna eventually awoke to the sound of music. Krishna began dancing to the rhythms like the rest of the people did. He then unintentionally struck the bullock cart’s wheel, causing the cart to fall to the ground.

Everyone scurried over to the wagon, fearing the worst for the youngster. Surprisingly, they discovered the young child still dancing joyfully to the music. Even though it was one of the first times that Krishna’s heavenly powers were seen, many people thought it was a miracle that the child was unharmed.

Yashoda and the secret of Krishna

Krishna used to sit and watch the Gopis clean all the pots when he was much younger. He noted that the Gopis would use dirt to clean the containers after they had been emptied of butter. After eating butter to clear his stomach, he began to worry whether even he would need to eat mud.

Thus, after filling up on butter, he shoved mud in his mouth. He had crammed his mouth, and his buddies and brother Balram asked him what it was. They took him to Yashoda because he would not open his mouth. He was also urged to speak by Yashoda, but he remained silent and did not do anything. Then, in a fit of rage, Yashoda seized a stick and threatened to beat him if he didn’t immediately open his mouth.

Yashoda was shocked to see that when Krishna opened his lips, the entire cosmos was visible. Even Gokula and she could be seen in front of the kid with his mouth open. She closed her eyes to gather her thoughts in shock. She opened her eyes to see Krishna beaming sweetly at her. Even though Yashoda noticed this miracle, she decided to keep it a secret because Krishna didn’t seem affected.

Did Lord Krishna kill Kansa? How so?

Yes, Lord Krishna killed King Kansa. It is said that when King Kansa was informed of the prophecy that his sister’s eighth child would kill him, he tried to kill all of her children. However, Lord Krishna was able to defeat him and fulfil the prophecy. Lord Krishna is also believed to have killed many other demons terrorising the people.

How to Celebrate Krishna Janmashtami?

Kids participating in Krishna Janmashtami

People all over India take part in Krishna Jayanthi celebrations by doing kirtan and japa. Some devotees make over 100 meals and conduct theatre and dance. Some people dress up as Krishna and decorate the temple, while others tie huge floral garlands around their necks. People enjoy burning incense, reading texts, and fasting all day. People perform abhisheka ceremonies and wash the deities with fortunate liquids. Ultimately, around midnight, priests reveal Krishna on a colourful altar, followed by excited devotees reciting kirtans. Some people like to dress up as Lord Krishna and Radha and enact scenes from their lives.

Krishna Jayanthi celebration ideas

The beauty of Krishna Jayanthi is that it can be celebrated at different places, such as home, school, society, and the office. This way, people from all walks of life can participate in the festivities and enjoy this special occasion. Below are some Krishna Jayanthi celebration ideas for schools, offices, societies, and homes.

Krishna Jayanthi celebration Ideas at Home

Rangoli decoration
Curd pot decoration
Dress up like Krishna /Radha/ baby Krishna
Jannmashtami treasure hunt
Create Krishna Jhula
Create Krishna’s crown
Create or decorate Krishna Idol
Read Krishna stories
Prepare delicacies for festivities

Krishna Jayanthi celebration Ideas at Society

Cradle set up for Bal Gopal
Dancing and singing competition
Bal gopal poster competition for kids
Krishna Jayanthi greeting card competition for kids
“Dahi handi’ set up and competition for boys
Rangoli decoration & competition for girls
Midnight Aarti and prasad distribution
‘Jhaankis’ setup
Bhajan keertan or shlokas recitation
Mantra jaap
Fancy dress competition
Skit or dance performances

Krishna Jayanthi celebration Ideas at Office

Below are some cool and fun Krishna Jayanthi celebration ideas for office –

Krishna fancy dress competition
Krishna Jayanthi dance performance
Skit on stories and life of Krishna
Decoration of the office premises
Janmashtami treasure hunt
Rangoli decorations
Celebration with Aarti
Krishna stories recital competition

Krishna Jayanthi celebration Ideas at School

Who said that Krishna Jayanthi celebrations are for homes and societies only? Kids can have fun celebrating the Krishna Jayanthi festival at school too. Here are some exciting ideas for Krishna Jayanthi celebration at school –

Krishna Jhula making competition
Fancy dress competition
Krishna Jayanthi skit
Krishna story reciting competition
Drawing competition with Krishna/stories of Krishna/birth of Krishna themes
Krishna themed exhibition
Janmashtami greeting card competition

Shri Krishna Jayanthi in Different Parts of India

Krishna Jayanthi is celebrated in different ways across different parts of India. Below are glimpses of famous places and their Krishna Jayanthi 2025 celebrations.

Krishna Jayanti Celebration in Mathura

The city of Mathura has a large number of temples; therefore, Krishna Janmashtami festivities begin more than a month before the actual birthday of Lord Krishna. The two most important parts of the Janmashtami celebration in Mathura are Jhulanotsav and Ghatas.

Jhulanotsov is a tradition in which people welcome Lord Krishna into their homes and demonstrate how he was held as a baby. Swings are set up in the courtyards of their homes, and flowers and rangolis are put on the temples.

Ghatas are another unique part of the celebrations in Mathura. Every temple in the city is decorated in the color of the chosen theme, including the outfit that the idol of Krishna is wearing. They follow this tradition for the whole month.

Rasleela are dance-dramas that Krishna used to perform frequently. They are performed by many groups in the days before the Janma Diwas, especially by children between the ages of 10 and 13. Moreover, Jankis—clay sculpted figurines on display—are created, and episodes from Krishna’s life are shown on them all across Mathura.

Krishna Jayanti Celebration in Vrindavan

In Vrindavan, the festivities begin ten days before the actual birthday. On Janmashtami, the place where Lord Krishna was born and where he grew up, professional artists put on rasleelas, which are plays about his life, as well as scenes from the epic Mahabharata, in which Lord Krishna played a key role.

People from all over the world come to Vrindavan to see the unique ceremonies and activities and to take part in the unique celebrations. Most followers go to the celebrations and activities in Vrindavan during the day and then go to Mathura in the evening to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.

Krishna Jayanti Celebration in Udupi

In Udupi, Shree Krishna Leelotsava is a significant part of Janmashtami. As part of the Janmashtami celebrations, there is the Pili Vesha, or Tiger Dance (people dressed as tigers). One of the most thrilling parts of the festivities is a dance called Huli Vesha.

During the celebrations, the idol is put on a chariot and pulled in a parade. In Udupi, Raas Leela is a significant part of Janmashtami. The Udupi Krishna temple has a window that is unique—a window for worship. It is the area from which worshippers may see the idol within the temple. It is embellished with a filigree pattern, which contributes to the temple’s distinctiveness.

Why is Shri Krishna Jayanti observed on two different days?

Hindu astrology says that Lord Krishna was born when the moon entered the house of Vrishabha (Taurus) at the Rohini Nakshatra (star) on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the second half of the month of Shravana. This is the month of Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha in North India.

Shri Krishna Jayanti requires all four parameters to be met, although Hindu sect calendars rarely do. As a result, several Hindu sects celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday differently. Certain sects value Ashtami, whereas some sects worship the star “Rohini.” The lunar and solar calendars also complicate things. Hence, Shri Krishna Jayanthi is observed on different days.

Why is Shri Krishna Jayanti observed at Midnight?

Hindu tradition says that Lord Krishna was born at midnight, which is why Shri Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated at midnight.

Why should you fast on Shri Krishna Jayanti

People usually fast on Shri Krishna Jayanthi, as fasting brings the soul closer to the Absolute Being; it has a deeper meaning. So, the Krishna Janmashtami fast is linked to salvation, also known as nirvana, which is a way to get out of the cycles of karma.

What Feasts Are Prepared on Krishna Jayanthi?

On the day of the Krishna Jayanthi festival, many traditional sweets and snacks are made. The most popular is the ‘mithai’ made from ‘chhena’, called ‘Makhan mesri’. It is cottage cheese mixed with sugar and dry fruits. Other popular dishes include ‘gur ki roti’, ‘malpua’, ‘Dahi vada’ and ‘kheer’.

In some places, a special dish called “bhog” is prepared and offered to Lord Krishna as part of the Krishna Jayanthi celebrations. It usually consists of rice kheer, puris, halwas, vegetables, curd, and butter.

Closure!

Janmashtami is a time to come together as a family and celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna. This festival brings traditions that remind us of the importance of giving, gratitude, and spending time with loved ones. Whether you celebrate Janmashtami at home or in a temple, use this time to get in touch with your spiritual side and spend time with the people you care about most. Happy Janmashtami! What are some of your favourite family traditions during this holiday?

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