New Delhi: Shri Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated with immense devotion and enthusiasm across India on Saturday, as devotees gathered at temples to mark the birth of Lord Krishna with midnight rituals, devotional singing, and sacred offerings.
In the national capital, thousands thronged temples such as ISKCON in East of Kailash and Dwarka, offering prayers and participating in bhajan sessions. At the East of Kailash ISKCON temple, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta offered her prayers, while Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra extended Janmashtami greetings to the public, noting the vibrant and joyous atmosphere in the city.
Celebrations at the ISKCON Temple in Dwarka were marked by a devotional dance performance by renowned classical dancer Yasmin Singh and her troupe. Singh, who travelled from Madhya Pradesh, expressed her joy at performing on this auspicious occasion, noting the enthusiastic response from the audience.
At Delhi’s historic Lakshminarayan Temple, worshippers gathered in large numbers, singing devotional hymns and participating in rituals. Meanwhile, the 22nd Matki Phod event at Tyagraj Stadium saw the participation of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, who highlighted the moral teachings of Lord Krishna and their relevance today.
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath joined the celebrations at Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur, where actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan also performed. In Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple witnessed grand festivities as devotees watched an idol of baby Krishna being ceremonially bathed in milk.
Similar scenes of devotion unfolded in other parts of the state including Moradabad and Noida, where midnight abhishek rituals were performed using milk, honey, curd, ghee, and water, amid the sound of conch shells and Vedic chants.
Temples in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Jammu, and Kolkata also saw huge gatherings. In West Bengal’s Kolkata, devotees flocked to the ISKCON Temple for midnight prayers. In Guwahati, worshippers gathered at the ISKCON Temple to perform rituals in honour of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha.
In Imphal, Manipur, the Shree Shree Govindajee Temple became a hub of cultural and religious festivities, drawing hundreds of devotees for prayer and celebration.
Janmashtami, observed on the Ashtami Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the Bhadrapad month, holds special significance in Mathura and Vrindavan, places closely associated with Lord Krishna’s life. Across the country and in many parts of the world, the festival was marked by joy, spiritual fervour, and cultural expressions of devotion.
