Govinda Ala Re Ala -Krishna Janmashtami

Govinda Ala Re Ala -Krishna Janmashtami, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

From wikipedia

Krishna Janmashtami is observed on the eighth day of the dark half (Krishna Paksha) of the month of Shraavana in the Hindu calendar, when the Rohini Nakshatram is ascendent. The Hindu calendar being lunar, these two events the day being the eighth of the waning moon (Krishna-paksha Ashtami) and the Rohini Nakshatram being ascendent may overlap for only a few hours. In such an event, the festival may be celebrated on different (but successive) days by different people, depending on their local or family traditions.

The festival falls sometime in the months of August/September of the Gregorian calendar.

The ritual is to fast the previous day (Saptami, seventh day), which is followed by a night-long vigil commemorating the birth of Krishna at night, and his immediate removal by his father to a foster-home for safe-keeping. At midnight, the deity of the infant Krishna is bathed, placed in a cradle and worshipped. The traditional Prasad is 'Panchajiri', made of five ingredients (ginger, 'suva', coriander, sugar and ghee. It can include poppy seeds (khaskhas) and coconut.). The fast is completed after aarti, a special prayer.

In the early morning, ladies draw patterns of little children's feet outside the house with rice-flour paste, walking towards the house. This symbolizes the entry of the infant Krishna into his foster-home. This performed to recreate incidents from the life of Krishna and commemorate his love for Radha.

Care is taken among certain circles not to imitate the Rasa Lila in a mundane way. It is said that one should not imitate the Rasa Lila even in dreams. The idea is that Krishna, or God's pastimes cannot be understood by the mundane mind-set and discussing them should therefore be avoided altogether. Krishna's pastimes with Srimati Radha can never be understood by materialistic people, they are transcendental and great care should be taken to present them in such manner.

While the Rasa Lila recreates the youthful Krishna's alliance with the milkmaids (gwale) of his native land, the "Dahi-Handi" tradition of Maharashtra re-enacts his childhood pranks, wherein Krishna and his young friends helped themselves to butter and other goodies in the houses of their neighbours. Clay pots called "Dahi-Handi", filled with curd and butter, are suspended high above the ground. To a constant chorus of "Govinda, Govinda" from all those present, teams of young men form human pyramids to reach the pot and break it, to the merriment of the youths and of the assembly.

The festival is thus celebrated with great joy and communal togetherness by one and all.


[edit] Dahi Handi (Human Towers) Celebrations in Maharashtra

Govinda Pathaks forming human tower to break the Dahi handiIn Mumbai and Pune, Janmaashtami, popularly known here as Dahi Handi is celebrated with enormous zeal and enthusiasm. Various Handis (in this context, a Handi is a clay pot, suspended high above the ground, containing prizes) are set up locally in almost every nook and corner of the city, and groups of youngsters, called Govinda Pathaks (English: Troupes of Lord Krishna) travel around in trucks trying to break as many handis as possible during the day.

Many such Govinda Pathaks compete with each other, especially for the handis that dole out hefty rewards. The event, in recent times, has gathered a political flavor, and it is not uncommon for political parties, and rich community groups to offer prizes amounting to lakhs of rupees.

Some of the most famous handis are at Dadar, Mazgaon, Lalbaug and some in Thane a neighboring district of Mumbai and Babu Genu, Mandai in Pune.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna_Janmashtami