Krishna Janmashtami 2024: Significance, Date & Time, Puja Muhurat

The devotees, who observe fast on Krishna Janmashtami, should have only a single meal a day before Janmashtami. On fasting day, devotees take Sankalpa to observe a day-long fast and break it on the next day when both Rohini Nakshatra and Ashtami Tithi end. Some devotees break the fast when either Rohini Nakshatra or Ashtami Tithi is over. Sankalpa is taken after finishing morning rituals and the day-long fasting begins with Sankalpa.

In Vaishnava temples, festivities begin before dawn and extend all day until midnight, the exact moment of the anniversary of Krishna’s appearance. Events include kirtan, singing the lord’s name along with other devotees; and Japan, private, more intimate prayer. Some devotees cook a feast of over one hundred dishes, while others perform drama and dance. Some clothes decorate the deity of Krishna while others string enormous flower garlands and other decorations for the temple. The lord Krishna statue is also bathed with a variety of auspicious liquids in a kind of ablution ceremony called abhisheka. Sometimes taking over two hours this is performed with great pomp.

Finally, at midnight, priests pull apart the curtains to reveal the freshly dressed deity of Krishna on a creatively festooned and coloured altar. The excitement builds and a rousing kirtan ensues.

The Pooja is performed at midnight during Nishita Kala. Pooja is performed by devotees in detailed ritualistic puja at midnight and it involves all sixteen steps which are part of shodashopachara puja vidhi. After Pooja is finished the Prasad is distributed among the people.

Fasting rules:

No food grains should be consumed during Janmashtami fasting until the fast is broken on the day after sunrise. All the rules followed during Ekadashi fasting should be followed during Janmashtami also. Parana which means breaking the fast should be done at an appropriate time. For Janmashtami fasting, Parana is done on the next day after sunrise when Ashtami Tithi and Rohini Nakshatra are over. If Ashtami Tithi and  Rohini Nakshatra do not get over before sunset then fast can be broken during the daytime when either one of them is over. When both of them are not over before the sunset or even midnight one should wait to get them over before breaking the fast.

It depends on the end timing of Ashtami Tithi and Rohini Nakshatra fasting on Krishna Janmashtami will continue for two complete days. Devotees who are not able to follow two days of fasting can have breakfast t on next day after sunrise.

The Krishna Janmashtami is also known as Krishnashtami, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Sri Krishna Jayanti, and Shree Jayanti.

About Two Krishna Janmashtami Dates

most of the time, Krishna Janmashtami is listed on two consecutive days. The first one is for Smarta Sampradaya and another one is for Vaishnava Sampradaya. The Vaishnava sampradaya is one day after Janmashtami. If there is a single date of Janmashtami means that both sampradayas would observe fast on the same day.

However, many people will notice unanimity in North India in choosing the day to celebrate Janmashtami. The reason behind this unanimity is the institution of ISKCON The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as ISKCON is founded on the principles of Vaishnava traditions and most followers of the ISKCON are the followers of Vaishnavism.

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