Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated with fervor in Mathura and Vrindavan.

Janmashtami is a major festival for Hindus to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna. The festival is celebrated on the eighth day of the dark half of the month of Bhadrapada, which is usually in August or September. This year, the festival (Janmashtami 2024) will be celebrated on August 26 (Monday). It is a combination of two words – Janma (birth) and Ashtami (the eighth day of the month, according to the Hindu calendar). Janmashtami is celebrated with great fervor, especially in Mathura, where Krishna was born, and in neighboring Vrindavan, where he spent his early childhood.

An important aspect of Janmashtami is fasting, which is considered a way to purify the body and mind. Fasting rules vary according to regional customs and personal practices, but they are all based on devotion and reverence.

Types of fasting

On Janmashtami, devotees typically observe two main types of fasting: Nirjala (without water) and Phalahar (fruit and milk-based diet).

• Nirjala fasting: This is the strictest form of fasting, in which devotees abstain from food and water for the entire day. The fast is broken only at midnight, the supposed time of Krishna’s birth, after performing prayers and aarti.
• Phalahar Fast: For those who cannot observe Nirjala fasting, consumption of fruits, milk and water is permitted during Phalahar fasting. Devotees abstain from eating grains, pulses and certain vegetables such as onions and garlic and follow a sattvic (pure) diet.

Dietary restrictions

During Janmashtami fasting, there are certain foods that are usually avoided. Devotees avoid grains, pulses, rice and salt. Instead, they consume non-grain foods like buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta), amaranth flour (rajgira ka atta) and water chestnut flour (singhare ka atta). Rock salt (sendha namak) is used instead of regular table salt.

Permitted foods

• Fresh fruit such as bananas, apples and pomegranates
• Dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, paneer and butter
• Root vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes, often used in dishes such as vrat (another Hindi term for fasting) also
• Nuts and seeds that provide energy and nutrients during fasting

Rituals and breaking the fast

Fasting on Janmashtami is usually accompanied by day-long prayers, bhajans and recitations of the Bhagavad Gita or Krishna Leela. Many devotees visit temples where the birth of Krishna is celebrated with great fervour.

The fast is traditionally broken at midnight after the symbolic birth of Lord Krishna. The ritual of breaking the fast involves offering the prepared food to Krishna, followed by taking the prasad. Devotees believe that fasting and performing these rituals with sincerity and devotion brings them closer to Lord Krishna and seeks his blessings for prosperity and spiritual growth.

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