Janmashtami 2023: What's special about the celebrations in Mathura and Vrindavan?
Janmashtami is celebrated on the Ashtami Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, marking the birth of Lord Krishna, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. This year, Janmashtami is being celebrated on September 6 and 7 owing to the muhurrat timings.
Mathura and Vrindavan have been considered one of the best places to experience Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in India. Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna while Vrindavan is the place where he spent most of his youth, making the birth of the deity a special event for residents in these two cities.
The Janmasthami celebrations in Mathura and Vrindavan begin 10 days prior to the festival with various cultural and religious events like Rasleelas, Bhajans, Kirtans and Pravachans. Vrindavan is home to over 400 temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, all of whom participate in the ritual of ‘Abhishek’ that takes place at midnight at the moment of Krishna's birth.
Devotees come in huge numbers to witness the deity getting bathed in milk, yogurt, honey, ghee and water. Another tradition followed during Janmashtami in these twin cities is Chappan Bhog, where a traditional and lavish meal containing 56 different food items is given as prasad to the devotees.
Mathura and Vrindavan also witness Dahi Handi events, taking inspiration from Lord Krishna's love for butter and his mischievous nature as a child. A group of young men form human pyramids to break open a suspended earthen pot filled with curd.
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