JANMASHTAMI - THE BIRTH OF VISHNU'S EIGHTH AVATARA

       JANMASHTAMI is the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. I am a Bengali. We say that " আমাদের বারো মাসে তেরো পার্বণ " means we have thirteen festival in twelve months. Bengal is a land of festivals and we celebrate all the festival happily. Today is also a festival. Today is JANMASHTAMI. So we are celebrating the festival heartily.

Little Krishna

             KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI is also known as GOKULASHTAMI. It is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. This festival is held not only in India but also in Nepal, Bangladesh, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, Mauritius, parts of Caribbean, Africa, United Kingdom and United States.

Idol of Lord Radha Krishna of ISKON ( Mayapur, West Bengal) 

               This festival is held on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha in Shraavana. Shri krishna is the eighth avatara of Lord Vishnu. He is considered as the one of the most powerful human incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

The Ten AVATARA of Lord Vishnu

                Lord Krishna was born in a prison in the custody of King Kansa around 5200 years ago in Mathura. The sole objective of his birth was to free the Earth from the evilness of demons.

Lord Krishna Fighting With Kaalia Naag

                  Lord Krishna is the son of Devaki and Vasudeva. When Lord Krishna was born, his life was in danger. His uncle King Kansa wanted to kill him. So immediately after his birth, his father Vasudeva took him to Gokul, across the Yamuna. The name of his foster parents are Nanda and Yashoda.

Vasudeva Taking Little Krishna To Gokul

                   Shri Krishna is also an important figure of "The Mahabharata". During the battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna gave Arjuna the immortal spiritual discourse - The Gita. It is a religious book of the Hindus. Lord krishna tought a spiritual path of wisdom, devotion and discrimination.

Lord Krishna Talking To Arjuna In Kurukshetra

                   The day of Lord Krishna's birth is celebrated as JANMASHTAMI and the very next day is celebrated as NANDA UTSAVA. Janmashtami is celebrated in almost every part of India. Different places have different tradition to celebrate this day.

Radha Krishna Puja

                  Dance drama events of Lord Krishna's life also known as RASA LILA is performed in Mathura region and North Eastern part of India like Assam, Manipur and Western part of India like Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Rasa Lila Performed in Manipur

                    Dahi Handi is also celebrated in some parts of Maharashtra like Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and also in Gujarat. Earthen pots filled with  yoghurt or freshly churned butter are hung very high. The youngs participating in this have to break the earthen pots. Little Krishna loved to eat butter. According to Mythology little Krishna used to steal butter by breaking the pots.

Dahi Handi Celebrating in Mumbai

             
                     In Bengal we also celebrate Krishna Janmashtami by performing Rasa Lila. No festival is complete without the preparation of sweets. According to Bengali culture, we believe that the favourite sweet of Lord Krishna is  "তালের ফুরুলি" also known as Sugar Palm Fritters. All begali family make sugar palm fritters on this day.

Sugar Palm Tree

                 I am a Bengali and I am not an exception. I will also make sugar palm fritters  today. As  I have promised you to  introduce you to bengali cuisine, I will be sharing the recipe of sugar palm fritters with you. I am full of excitement  are you??????