Source: news18.com
Krishna Janmashtami 2019 | At the Banke Bihari temple in Vridavan, Krishna Janmashtami celebrations will be held on Friday. Festivity has gripped Vrindavan, a town where Lord Krishna is believed to have spent his childhood. Preparations are on in full-swing and a large number of devotees have thronged the temple.
Celebrations will begin at mid-night with Maha Abhishek where the idol of Lord Krishna at the Banke Bihari temple will be given a ceremonial bath with milk, curd, flowers, rose water, honey, ghee, and water. The celebration will continue with Mangal Aarti which will start at 1:55 am. This Mangal Aarti is done only once a year on Krishna Janmashtami.
After the Mangal Aarti, the Bankey Bihari temple will be opened for devotees to offer prayers from 2 am to 5:30 am.
In the Jagmohan, the elevated hall just outside sanctum sanctorum, a special throne made of gold and silver is placed.
Nandotsav, which celebrates the Lord Krishna’s birth, will be celebrated from 7:45 am to 12 noon. During the Nandotsav celebrations, the doors of the temple will remain open for devotees and they will be offered with toys, fruits, dry fruits, sweets prepared from musk melon seeds, coconut and others to celebrate the joy. They will also be given Makhaan (home-made butter) and Mishri (rock sugar), which is believed to be Lord Krishna’s favourite. The Panchamrit Prasad (Prasad of maha abhishek, a mix of milk, curd, honey, ghee and water) is distributed among the devotees.
The Banke Bihari temple is decorated with flowers, lights and other decorative items. Not just the temple, but the entire city wears a festive look and people are immersed in joy as they celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday. People from various parts of the country visit Vrindavan to offer prayers at Banke Bihari temple on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami.
A Shri Madbhagvatam discourse session, based on Shri Krisnna Janma katha (tenth Skandha) is also organised outside the Banki Bihari temple.
Devotional songs and classical dances are also organised in various places on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami. At many places Raslila (an act) is performed to recreate the incidents from the life of Lord Krishna and to describe his true love for Radha. Devotees sing a famous line on Krishna Janmashtami, “Nand Ghar Anand Bhaye jai kanhaiya lal ki, hathi dine ghoda dine aur dini palki.”
Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, was born to Devki and Vasudeo in Mathura and was raised by Yashoda and Nandbaba.