Krishna Janamastmi

II Krishna Janmashtmi II

Hindu Calender: Krishna Paksh Ashtmi of Bhadrapad Month or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadhon.

About

Janmashtmi (also known as Shri Krishnashtmi  or Gokulashtami) is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar (incarnation)  of Lord Vishnu, believed to have been born about five thousand years ago in Mathura in 'Dwapar Yuga'. It is celebrated in the August/September months, on the Ashtmi of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadhon and is celebrated over two days. The first day is Krishnashtmi or Gokulashtami. The second day is called Kalashtami or more popularly Janmashtmi.

This celebration is said to be revealed originally by the Shri Krishna himself to Yudhishthira, the eldest of Pandavas, as mentioned in the Bhavishyottara Puran.
    
He was born to Vasudev and Devki, who were imprisoned by Devki's evil brother Kansa and was brought up by Nand and Yashoda. The birth of Lord Krishna is believed to be symbolic of our imprisonment in worldly illusions, where He took birth with us and led us to salvation and peace, vanquishing all evils depicted by Kansa in the story.


Rituals

People fast on this day, usually a waterless fast.
They spend the day immersed in Shri Krishna's glory by reading, reciting and singing his divine leela especially in the evening in mandirs(temples). Temples of Lord Krishna are decorated most beautifully and children are adorned as Lord Krishna and Radhika, his spiritual beloved. Krishna Leela or the plays depicting scenes from Krishna's life, especially childhood, are performed. At midnight, the Lord's birth hour, aarti is performed. He is also installed in the form of 'Lalji' (child form) in a swing and devotionally offered many sumptuous food dishes. 'Makhan' (butter) is especially included since Shri Krishna loved this in childhood. The traditional prasad is 'Panchajiri' - made of five ingredients: powdered ginger, 'suva', coriander, sugar and ghee. Other ingredients include poppy seeds (khaskhas) and dessicated coconut shavings.The most popular ceremony of Dahi-handi (breaking a pot full of milk and its derivatives} takes place on the second day.


The Ceremony of Dahi-Handi

During this ceremony a large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey fruits etc. and is suspended from a height between 20 to 40 feet. Sporting young men and boys come forward to claim this prize. To do so they construct a human pyramid by standing over each other's shoulders till the pyramid is tall enough to enable the topmost person to reach the pot and claim the contents after breaking it. Normally, currency notes are tied to the rope by which the pot is suspended. This prize money is distributed among those who participate in the pyramid building.

This ceremony replicates Krishna's love for milk and butter. In his childhood, the Lord Krishna along with his mates used to raid the houses of his neighbors in search of milk and butter

For Vrat Food: Know More

Janmashtmi Vrat Recipes

Janmashtami Fast Recipes

Devotees observe strict fasting during the festival. While some keep nirjal or waterless fasts, others eat fruits. With the changing times, people no longer observe stringent fasts, they eat curd, certain other vegetables during the day. Special fast dishes are available at quite a few eating joints for the convenience of devotees.

Fast Recipes

• Shrikhand
• Singhare ki Poori
• Pedha
• Til ki Kheer (Sesame Pudding)
• Aloo/Arwi ki Chaat

Shrikhand

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients :

1 kg. Curd (Put in a muslin cloth and hung for 2-3 hours)
1 tbsp Warm milk
3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp Cardamom (Green/Small Elaichi) powder
A few Saffron Strands (Optional)
Slivers of Pistachios & Almonds (optional)

Method of Preparation:

Mix saffron in milk and keep it aside. Take a bowl and put Curd, sugar, saffron mixture and cardamom. Mix all the ingredients well either manually or with the help of a blender. Garnish it with almonds and pistachios.

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Singhare ki Poori

Preparation time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Cup Singhara Flour
1/4 Cup boiled, mashed Potatoes
1/4 Cup Chopped Spinach
1 tbsp oil
2 chopped green chillies
2 tsp Ajwain seeds
1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves
1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil for Deep Frying

Method of Preparation :

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Knead the dough and make small pooris with hand or a rolling pin. Add less quantity of water as compared to what used while kneading wheat flour. Add cooking oil in a pan and fry pooris till dark brown and crisp. Serve it with curd and pickle.

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Pedhas

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

500 gms Khoya, crushed.
300 gms powdered sugar
8 to 10 pistachios sliced
2-3 drops food colour (optional)
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
Cookie moulds (If needed)

Method of Preparation :

Mix khoya with sugar in a pan. Heat on low flame, stirring continuously. Cook till mixture thickens. Cool for 10 minutes. Add cardamom powder & food colour. Mix well. Take a small handful of mixture and press into the cookie mould. Turn out carefully. Press 2-3 slices of pistachio in the center. Delicious Pedhas are ready to eat.

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Til ki Kheer (Sesame Pudding)

Ingredients:

100 gm White til
100 gm Desiccated coconut fresh or dry
40 gm Sugar
1 tbsp Raisins
1 tbsp Cashew nuts broken and soaked in warm water
4-5 no Green Cardamom
1 ltr Full cream milk
1 tin Condensed milk

Method of Preparation :

1. Dry roast til and crush them. Keep aside.
2. Pour milk in a sauce pan and boil for 10 minutes. Stir continuously.
3. Then add condensed milk and stir and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
4. Now put crushed cardamoms and sugar. Stir continuously.
5. Add roasted til and desiccated coconut. Keep on stirring. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
6. Pour in a serving dish and garnish with raisins and cashew nuts.
7. This can be used as fast food.

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Aloo/Arvi ki Chaat

Ingredients:

100 gm Tamarind
250 gm Potatoes or Arvi
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2-3 no Red dry chillies
1/2 tsp Dry ginger powder
125 gm Jaggery or sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
Chaat masala, chilli powder and salt to taste


Method of Preparation :

1. Soak imli/tamarind in lukewarm water for 1-2 hours or you can do this a day before.
2. Then with your fingers mash them and throw the stones. If you are using stoned tamarind/imli just mash with your fingers.
3. Now put crushed jaggery or sugar along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and ginger powder.(If you want to use this sauce for few days, boil the sauce and use when it cools down.
4. Roast cumin seeds along with dry chillies in a dry frying pan. When the colour turns brown put them on a plate. Now crush them with a rolling pin or pestle and mortar. Sprinkle this on tamarind sauce. Taste it. If you like you can mix a few teaspoons of mint sauce in it or crushed mint leaves.
5. Boil aloo or arvi and peel them. Dice them and keep aside.
6. When you serve, put diced aloo or arvi in a small bowl for each individual person. Sprinkle salt, chat masala, red chilli powder, a table spoon of beaten natural yoghurt and tamarind sauce.
This is yummy and suitable for fast.

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