If you’re thinking of traveling with kids in Nepal in August – September, check the date of the annual Krishna Janmashtami festival and make sure you visit Patan Durbar Square or Hare Krishna temple in Budhanilkanta the day it is celebrated.
Krishna Janmashtami puts children at the heart of its festival. Although it is a Hindu religious festival with important traditions and rituals, Krishna Janmashtami is also a festival of fun, mirth and frolic for kids.
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What is the Krishna Janmashtami Festival and when is it celebrated?
Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna, the 8th avatar incarnation of Vishnu.
Krishna Janmashtami is a festival celebrated each year on the 8th day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada (usually in August – September). This year, Krishna Janmashtami was observed on August 19, 2022.
What is the significance of Krishna Janmashtami?
The story of Krishna Janmashtami is very interesting and quite fascinating.
It is believed that Lord Krishna was born at midnight in a dungeon in Mathura on the 8th day of the month of Bhadrapada.
Mathura at that time was under the rule of King Kansa. King Kansa had a sister, princess Devaki, who was married to King Vaseduva. One night, King Kansa heard a divine voice warning him that one day, one of the children of Devaki will kill him. To escape the prophecy, the King first thought of killing Devaki. But Vasudeva convinced him to spare his sister’s life in exchange of surrendering all the children she’ll give birth to. King Kansa agreed, and locked Devaki and her husband, Vasudeva, in his palace. And then, King Kansa killed all the children Devaki gave birth to one by one.
When the eighth child, Krishna, was born, Vishnu appeared and told his parents that their child was an incarnation of himself and that he will free the Kingdom from Kansa. Helped by Lord Vishnu, Krishna’s father, Vasudeva, took Krishna out of the dungeon secretly to save him when the guards were asleep. He crossed the raging Yamuna river and Lord Vishnu’s Shesh Naag, the multi-headed snake helped and protected them against the rain and thunderstorms.
Finally, Vasudeva brought the boy, Krishna, to Nanda and Yashoda, who just had a baby girl, and exchanged the babies. Vasudeva returned to the dungeon with the baby girl.
When King Kansa tried to kill the baby, the baby flew up and stayed suspended in the air. The baby turned into Goddess Durga and told the King Kansa that his death was coming and his slayer was born in a safe place. Goddess Durga then disappeared.
Afraid, King Kansa freed Devaki and Vasudeva. Eventually, Krishna grew up in Gokul and killed the King Kansa.
How Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated in Nepal?
During Krishna Janmashtami, we listen stories about Krishna (from the Bhagavad Gita). We sing devotional songs of love (Bhajans) and observe a fast.
We also spend time preparing altars for the offerings. Statues of baby Krishna are washed, clothed and placed for worship.
At midnight, we break the fast and share festival food.
One of the traditions is to make small child footprints from the entrance of the house to the Puja room. This is a symbolism for welcoming Krishna’s into our homes.
Where to witness Krishna Janmashtami in Nepal?
We usually celebrate Krishna Janmashtami at home with our family. But it is also the custom to visit a Krishna temple during Krishna Janmashtami.
In the Kathmandu Valley, the most famous Krishna temple is located on Patan Durbar Square. It gets quite crowded on Krishna Janmashtami. But it is a great place to witness the festival. You will see many babies and toddlers dressed up as Krishna and Radha. It is the tradition to dress up your children as Krishna or Radha during Krishna Janmashtami. Last but not least, you will be able to witness dance-dramas based on the life of Lord Krishna.
If you have any questions regarding this festival or Nepal in general, DO NOT hesitate to reach out to me via Instagram or via email: maya.pariskathmandu@gmail.com