Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami also known as Krishnashtami, Gokulashtami, Srikrishna Jayanti, Janmashtami, Ashtami Rohini or Saatam Aatham is an annual celebration of the birthday of the Hindu deity Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. The festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September) in the Hindu calendar. Krishna Janmashtami is an important festival which is celebrated with great fervor. The magical festival is celebrated in numerous ways in different parts of India. Young kids are dressed up as Krishna and Radha is also a specialty of the day.
As a child Sri Krishna was very naughty and he was very fond of butter. In states like Maharashtra people enact incidents from Krishna’s childhood by placing an earthen pot high above the ground and then forming a human pyramid to try and break it. Many youngsters participate in this activity with great enthusiasm. This ritual of breaking the pot is known as Dahi Handi. The crowds at Dahi Handi, street performances of singing and dancing and night celebrations in the temples are the most exciting activities to be explored during the festival Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
features 6 places to visit in India to celebrate Janmashtami in the grandest way. Krishnashtami is the prime festival for these places & temples and the celebrations offer unforgettable experience to visitors. Some of these places are associated with Krishna’s life and witness tremendous crowd on this festival day.
Mathura
One of the best places to visit in India during Janmashtami is Mathura. According to the legends, Lord Krishna was born in Mathura. Therefore, it is one of the most important places for the Hindu community in India. And as we talk about Janmasthami, the festival is celebrated with great zest. There are two parts in which the celebration takes place. The first part is Jhulanotsav and the second is Ghatas. In Jhulanotsav, people put swings for Lord Krishna in their homes. The idol of Lord Krishna is bathed with honey, curd, and milk and people even apply ghee to the idol. This happens early in the morning and the name of the ceremony is Abhishek.
Once the bathing ceremony is done, people decorate the idol with new clothes as well as ornaments and place it in the swing. The swings can be found in the courtyards of the temples and houses in Mathura and the idols of Lord Krishna are swung on them. Another beautiful thing about Janmasthami in Mathura is Ras Leela. Kids not older than 10-12 years perform drama describing the various stages of Lord Krishna’s life. People from nearby towns and cities also visit Mathura to see Ras Leela, Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
Without any doubt, Mathura is the best place to visit in India for Janmashtami any day.
- Janmashtami pooja at Mathura
The pooja time is between 12:00 am to 12:48 am, the birth time of Lord Krishna. There are 400 temples in Mathura, and all the temples have different festive vibes on the day of Janmashtami. Many celebrations are carried out, such as the reading of Bhagavad Gita, performing Raas Leela, DahiHandi, etc.
- How to reach Mathura
Mathura is the main railway junction. You can find many train options to Mathura, and it is well-connected with major metro cities like Hyderabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, etc.
You can also go by air. The nearest international airport is Delhi, and the closest domestic airport is Agra. And, from the airport, you can book a taxi to Mathura.
- The best time to Visit Mathura for Janmashtami Celebration
The best time to enjoy this festival here is during Janmashtami day, either in August or September. The whole day is enjoyable when you are here in Mathura for Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
Vrindavan
It was at Vrindavan that Lord Krishna spent his initial days of life when he was growing up. When Krishna went to Gokul, Kansa sent his army to kill Krishna. To escape the army of Kansa, Krishna was brought to Vrindavan. It was at this very place that he started performing Krishna Leela and dancing with his friends, also known as gopis.
Some of the best places to visit in Vrindavan to witness the enthusiasm of Janmashtami include Prem Mandir, ISKCON Temple, and numerous other temples that are present here. It really gets crowded during this time of the year at Vrindavan but it also makes the atmosphere lively. People of Vrindavan celebrate Janmashtami by chanting mantras, singing songs, organizing dance and dramas, playing with curd and turmeric, preparing special dishes, etc.
Are you also willing to pay a visit and enjoy Vrindavan Janmashtami 2021? If yes, this will be the best decision taken, as Vrindavan is one of the most preferred places to visit in India for Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
- Janmashtami pooja at Vrindavan
Lord Krishna spent his earlier days in Vrindavan. The holy town is located on the banks of the Yamuna river, the place where Lord Krishna used to play Raas Leela with his Gopis. In Vrindavan, the Janmashtami celebration starts before ten days itself, and the professional artists perform Raas Leela, enact the life scenes of Lord Krishna and epic scenes of Mahabharata. The pooja time is between 12:00 am to 12:45 am on the day of Janmashtami.
- How to reach Vrindavan
The nearest domestic airport is Agra, and the closest international airport is Delhi. You can easily hire taxis from the airport to reach Vrindavan.
And, one can also catch a train to Mathura. You can hire auto-rickshaws, taxis, or even take a suburban train from Mathura to Vrindavan, Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
- The Best Time to Visit Vrindavan for Janmashtami Celebration
Generally, the best time to visit Vrindavan is during the winter months, but it is recommended to travel here at Janmashtami time, which can fall in August or September Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
Dwarka
Dwarka is a historical city in India. The word Dwarka means doors to salvation and is the top place to visit in India for Janmashtami. Janmashtami in Dwarka is celebrated like no other place in India. Dwarka is one of the four Char Dhams, ruled by Lord Krishna and known as the golden city. The buildings were made out of gold, crystals, and diamonds. Krishna lived here for 100 years, and soon after this death, a part of Dwarka immersed into the water.
During Janmashtami time, the celebration starts with mangala aarti, and the temples distribute Utsav Bhog and Banta Bhog after midnight (the birth time of Lord Krishna). You can check Dwarka with Somnath Tour Packages listed on our website and plan a trip here. Plan a visit to Dwarka for Janmashtami to witness something grand this year Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
- Janmashtami pooja at Dwarka
The day starts with a mangalarti at 7 am. The priest offers Banta Bhog (milk & milk products) to Lord Krishna and cleanses Lord Krishna’s face with water. And then the devotees can do their darshan.
- How to reach Dwarka
Jamnagar airport is the nearest one, around 135 km from Dwarka City. Dwarka has a railway station well-connected with major cities (Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Surat, Mumbai, Goa, Vadodara, etc.). And, you can also travel by road to Dwarka, Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
- The best time to Visit Dwarka for Janmashtami Celebration
August & September are the best months to plan a visit to Dwarka for the Janmashtami celebration Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
Gokul
Gokul is certainly one of the top attractions in Janmashtami since Lord Krishna was taken immediately to this place after his birth. Janmasthami in Gokul is called Gokulashtami and is celebrated one day after the rest of the country celebrates this festival. During the celebration, devotees chant mantras, sing bhajans, ring chimes, blow shells, etc. A road trip to Gokul will not only give you the pleasure of witnessing the beautiful celebration of Janmashtami but you can also see rural India Places to Visit in India to Janmashtami.
