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Significance
Janmastami (also known as Krishnastami or Gokulastami) is a festival
dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna and commemorates his birth. This festival occurs
on the eight day (Astami) of a lunar fortnight hence the name (Krishna+astami).
Krishnastami which comes around sometime in August is celebrated over two days.
This first day is Krishnastami or Gokulastami. The second day is called
Kalastami or more popularly Janmastami.
On the midnight between the first and second days the 'birth of Lord Krishna
is replicated with pomp and ceremony. Delicacies are prepared from milk and
curds that Krishna loved. The more popular ceremony of Dahi-handi (breaking a
pot full of milk and its derivatives} takes place on the second day. This
ceremony is so popular that Krishnastami has come to be synonymous with the
ceremony of Dahi-handi.
The Ceremony of Dahi-Handi
During this ceremony a large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds,
butter, honey fruits etc. and is suspended from a height between 20 to 40 feet.
Sporting young men and boys come forward to claim this prize. To do so they
construct a human pyramid by standing over each other's shoulders till the
pyramid is tall enough to enable the topmost person to reach the pot and claim
the contents after breaking it. Normally, currency notes are tied to the rope by
which the pot is suspended. This prize money is distributed among those who
participate in the pyramid building.
This ceremony replicates Krishna's love for milk and butter. In his
childhood, the Lord Krishna alongwith his mates used to raid the houses of his
neighbours in search of milk and butter. It is a common practice in India to tie
up food articles in a pot suspended from the beams of the roof so as to prevent
domestic animals like cats and dogs from despoiling them. We are told that every
day after the men and womenfolk left for their farms, the naughty and
adventurous Krishna along with a band of his mates would build a human pyramid
and plunder the caskets of milk and butter much to the chagrin of the owners.
Also Look at More Details about Krishna.
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