Janmashtami Celebrations (Right), Sand art by Sudarsan Pattnaik at Puri Beach (Left)
As per the Hindu calendar, Bhagwan Krishna, an avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu, was born on the eighth day of the month of Bhadra. The day mostly falls in the months of August or September, as per the Western calendar.
The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated by offering prayers to Bhagwan Krishna, with beautifully decorated swings, dance and music performances, and the ‘Dahi-Handi’ competition. The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated all across India.
Celebrations begin in Gujarat and Maharashtra
A five day long Janmashtami fair commenced in Rajkot on September 5.
According to the ministry of tourism, The mela is being held at Race Course Ground, Rajkot. The mela commenced on September 5 and will continue until September 9, and the timings are from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, they said.
The Janmashtami fair also called Lokmela, Saurashtra’s biggest fair, is held in Rajkot every year during the Satam-Aathma festival on the occasion of Janmashtami, they added. Janmashtami celebrations begin in Gujarat, Maharashtra.
This fair starts on the sixth day of the festival and lasts for five days till Dasham, an official said.
Meanwhile, In a first, the Maharashtra Government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde plans to organise a “Pro Govinda” competition, with cash prizes, for this year’s ‘Dahi Handi’, an event associated with the Hindu festival of Janmashtami, state Industries Minister Uday Samant said on September 2.
The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated on a large scale across Maharashtra, and several Dahi Handi (earthen pots filled with yoghurt) competitions are conducted on the occasion. In the event, participants called ‘Govindas’, dressed in colourful clothes, made a human pyramid to reach the pot hung mid-air, and break it.
“Pro Govinda is an event which was demanded for many years, but it is being organised under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde,” Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant told media.
The Pro Govinda competition will take place at the NSCI dome in Worli, Mumbai, and the pot will be suspended at a height of 40ft, the minister said.
“The first prize will be Rs 11 lakh, followed by second, third, and fourth prizes of Rs 7 lakh, 5 lakh, and 3 lakh, respectively,” he said.
Every year, the festival of Janmashtami is celebrated by Hindus to mark the birth of Bhagwan Krishna, the God who is the embodiment of playfulness and innocence.
Sudrasan Pattanaik creates sand art of Bhagwan Krishna at Puri beach in Odisha
Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sculpture at Puri beach and dedicated it to Bhagwan Krishna and India’s achievements on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami.
With the grand celebrations of Krishna Janmashtami starting today, devotees will be gathering outside the Bhagwan Krishna temples to offer prayers. This year has become more special as the country successfully landed Chandrayaan 3 on the south pole of the moon, and successfully launched Aditya L1, which is India’s first solar mission.
Pattnaik created the sculpture of Bhagwan Krishna with the message Happy Janmashtami at Puri Beach in Odisha. The four-foot-high sand sculpture also depicts the universe and recently launched Aditya L1 and Chandrayaan.
He also posted the image on X (Formerly Twitter) and wrote, “#JaiShreeKrishna..Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Shree Krishna #Janmashtami . May Bhagwan Krishna shower his blessings on all of us. My sand art at Puri beach in Odisha. #Happyjanmashtami2023.#AdityaL1 #Chandrayaan3”
Earlier, the sand artist created a beautiful sand art with best wishes for Chandrayaan 3. His miniature sand sculpture in Denver, Colorado included a a national flag, ISRO’s logo, the rocket in which Chandrayaan 3 was launched, “Chandrayaan 3 spacecraft close to the Moon and ‘Jay Ho with All the best Chandrayaan’ written on the artwork.
Before the mission started, he wished the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) success in the mission. He created a 22-foot-long sand art of Chandrayaan 3, installing 500 steel bowls and dishes with the message of “Vijayee Bhava” (Be Victorious), at Puri beach in Odisha.
(with inputs from ANI)
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