Krishna Janmashtami is the annual celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, commemorated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in Shraavana or Bhadrapad months according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar. Krishna Janmashtami 2021 will be celebrated on August 30 this year. This day is celebrated as Gokulashtami, while the following day is commemorated as DahiHandi in various parts of the country. There are various rituals and traditions that surround the Janmashtami celebration. As we prepare to commemorate Janmashtami 2021, here is everything you need to know about Krishna Janmashtami 2021 Puja timing & vidhi, the significance of Gokulashtami celebrations and more.

When is Krishna Janmashtami 2021?

As mentioned above, Krishna Janmashtami 2021 will be celebrated on August 30 this year. The celebration of Gokulashtami begins the Ashtami in the month of Shravan or Bhadrapada since Lord Krishna was born at midnight. Below are all the Krishna Janmashtami 2021 Puja timings

Midnight Moment - 12:31 AM, Aug 31

Chandrodaya Moment - 12:16 AM, Aug 31 Krishna Dashami

AshtamiTithi Begins - 11:25 PM on Aug 29, 2021

AshtamiTithi Ends - 01:59 AM on Aug 31, 2021

RohiniNakshatra Begins - 06:39 AM on Aug 30, 2021

RohiniNakshatra Ends - 09:44 AM on Aug 31, 2021

Krishna Puja for Janmashtami is held during the midnight hour when Lord Krishna is said to be born, also known as NishitaKaal. Nishita Puja Time falls between 12.08 am and 12.55 am on August 31.

How is Gokulashtami celebrated?

There are various rituals and traditions surrounding the celebration of Gokulashtami. Many devotees observe a stringent fast throughout the celebration that is only broken once the AshtamiTithi, as well as RohiniNakshatra, are completed. On the day before Janmashtami (August 29), devotees consume only one meal and then begin their prayer to Lord Krishna. Those observing the Janmashtami fast refrain from consuming any type of grain and follow all the rules of Ekadashi fasting. The Krishna Janmashtami fast is only broken after sunrise on the next day. From Mathura, Dwarka to Tamil Nadu, Know How Janmashtami is Celebrated Across India.

In addition to this, there are various fun and festive ways in which Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated. One common practice is decorating Lord Krishna’s idol as a baby on a cradle and showering it with water, milk and performing other abhishekam once Lord Krishna is born. People also observe night vigils where they sing songs praising Lord Krishna and revisiting the story of Lord Krishna’s birth and childhood. Lord Krishna was known for his jovial and mischievous nature and this is exactly what is celebrated on the next day, during Dahi Handi.

Dahi Handi Rituals

There are various trained groups that focus on breaking a clay pot filled with freshly churned butter or Makkhan, to revisit the stories of a young Krishna being known as Makhan-chor in his village, for eating all the fresh butter. These groups are often cheered or challenged and there are various prize monies that are given out to the winners. However, considering the continued spread of COVID-19, this aspect of the celebration has been avoided since last year, and will most probably be missed this year as well. The overall sport of Dahi Handi is also known to be generally extremely dangerous and has claimed many lives.

We hope that this Krishna Janmashtami fills your life with happiness and prosperity. Happy Gokulashtami 2021!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2021 04:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).