It is an important festival, particularly in the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The celebratory customs associated with Janmashtami include a celebration festival, reading and recitation of religious texts, dance and enactments of the life of Krishna according to the Bhagavata Purana, devotional singing till midnight (the time of Krishna’s birth), and fasting (upavasa), amongst other things. It is widely celebrated across India and abroad.
Information about Krishna’s life is noted in the Mahabharata, the Puranas, and Bhagavata Purana. Krishna is the eighth son of Devaki (mother) and Vasudeva (father). Surrounding the time of his birth, persecution was rampant, freedoms were being denied, and King Kamsa’s life was threatened. Krishna was born within a prison in Mathura, India where his parents were constrained by his uncle, Kamsa. During Devaki’s wedding, Kamsa was warned by a celestial voice that Devaki’s eighth son would be the cause of his death. In an effort to defy this prophesy, Kamsa imprisoned Devaki and her husband and promptly killed the first six of her newborns after their birth. The guards responsible for keeping watch over Devaki’s cell fell asleep and the cell doors were miraculously opened at the time of Krishna’s birth. These events allowed Vasudeva to send Krishna across the Yamuna River to his foster parents, Yashoda (mother) and Nanda (father). This legend is celebrated on Janmashtami by people keeping fasts, singing devotional songs of love for Krishna, and keeping a vigil into the night.
Throughout Krishna’s childhood and young adult life, Balarama, Krishna’s half-brother, was a “constant companion” for him. Balarama joined Krishna in the major events that are celebrated in Vraja, Brindavan, Dravarka, and Mathura such as stealing butter, chasing calves, playing in the cow pens, and participating in wrestling matches.