Janmashtami 2020: Date, Muhurat, Rituals And Significance Of This Festival

Janmashtami, also known as Krishna Ashtami or Gokulashtami is an important Hindu festival celebrated in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada. This year it will be observed on 11 and 12 August 2020. The festival marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna was born to his biological parents Devaki and Vasudev while they were in the captivity of Devaki's brother Kansa who was also the King of Mathura. This is because according to a prophecy, Kansa would die at the hands of the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudev.

The entire country will be worshipping Lord Krishna on this Janmashtami. Today we are here to tell you more about this day in detail.

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Muhurat For Janmashtami 2020

Since the Janmashtami is observed on the Ashtami tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, this year the festival falls on both 11 and 12 August 2020. This is because the Ashtami tithi will begin at 09:06 am on 11 August 2020 and will stay till 11:16 am on 12 August 2020. Therefore, in some parts of the country, people may observe Janmashtami on 12 August 2020 as well. The Nishita Kaal Puja which is held during midnight will be performed from 12:21 am on 12 August 2020 to 01:06 am on the same date.

Rituals

• On this day, people should wake up early in the morning and freshen up.
• After cleaning your pooja room or the place where you will be performing the rituals of Janmashthi, you need to bathe.
• After this, wear new or clean clothes.
• Now give a holy bath to the idol of Lord Krishna. For this, you can use the Ganga Jal.
• After this, you need to bathe the idol by using Panchamrit which is prepared using milk, ghee, curd, honey and Kesar.
• Post this, bathe the idol with clean water.
• If you are willing to observe a fast, then you can make a resolution for the same.
• Before midnight, place Bhog to Bal Gopal, the child form of Lord Krishna in a Jhoola (swing). You can use a cloth to make a Jhoola for Bal Gopal.
• Now offer a Bhog to Lord Krishna and worship him.
• After worshipping and offering prayers to Lord Krishna, you can perform the aarti of the deity.
• Distribute the prasad and offerings among all the family members and other people.

Significance Of Janmashtami

• It is believed that Lord Krishna was born at midnight in the jail where Devaki and Vasudev were kept in captivity.
• As the time of Lord Krishna's birth drew nearer, Kansa tightened the security of the jail and asked his men to inform him after Devaki gave birth to her child. However, God played a trick by making everyone fast asleep. After the birth of Lord Krishna, Devaki and Vasudev on the orders of Lord Vishnu himself, decided to swap their newborn with Raja Nand of Gokul and his wife Yasoda's newly born girl child. By God's grace, Raja Nand and Yashoda along with their family and men too were in deep sleep. It is when Vasudev re-entered the jail with Nand's daughter, the child cried and people woke up both in Mathura and Gokul.
• On this day, devotees of Lord Krishna enact the incidents that took place in the life of Lord Krishna. They perform the dance and dramas according to the Puranas and Bhagvat Geeta.
• People sing devotional songs and observe a fast throughout the day. They break their fast after the birth celebrations at midnight.