How kids celebrate Janmashtami in various parts of India

Kids Janmashtami Celebrations Across India: Janmashtami marks the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna. It is a popular festival among Indians, celebrated with great excitement throughout the country. However, the ways of celebrating Janmashtami differ across the nation. Here is a detailed article on how Janmashtami is celebrated in various parts of India and how kids take part in these grand celebrations.

Krishna Janmashtami is usually the favorite festival of children because of Lord Krishna. He is known for his appearance and amazing childhood tales. Every Indian kid has grown up listening to Gopala’s(Lord Krishna’s name) naughty deeds and playful activities. Be it stealing Makhan(Butter) from the pot, making girlfriends, or having fun with his friends beside the Yamuna (river in India), all incidents have enriched our hearts since childhood. Grand celebrations are organised across India on this day and kids take part in all the Janmashtami activities with great amusement. Further, schools also engage students in Janmashtami celebrations by organising fancy dress competitions, essay competitions, games, Dahi Handi ceremonies, speech and poem competitions, etc. However, every state in India has a unique way of adoring Lord Krishna and celebrating his birth anniversary. Some states hold massive celebrations during the day, enlightening the city with joy and excitement, while on the other hand, some states celebrate it during midnight, at the time of Lord Krishna's birth. 

Kids Janmashtami Celebrations Across India

• Mathura- Being the birthplace of Lord Krishna, Janmashtami is best celebrated in this city of India. The Janmashtami celebrations organized here are something you will remember for your lifetime. The streets of Mathura are adorned with flowers, lights, and plays and Ras Leela is organized in various parts of the city. Kids take part in Ras Leela and dress up as Lord Krishna, Radha, Kansa, and various other important characters to put on a great show. During these plays, kids who are interested in singing, playing musical instruments, or dancing show their skills on stage and have great fun.

• Vrindavan- This town is special for Janmashtami celebrations since Vrindavan is where lord Krishna spent his entire childhood performing all the playful activities he is known for, by kids. Vrindavan’s Janmashtami celebrations are as massive and grand as Mathura’s. Keertan, Ras-Leela, Dance performances, night vigils, temple visits, grand pujas, etc form parts of gigantic Janmashtami celebrations that take place in various parts of Vrindavan. Kids show their talents by showcasing dance performances, singing bhajans, and enacting lord Krishna and associated characters on the streets of Vrindavan.

• Maharashtra- The famous act of ‘Dahi Handi’ comes from Maharashtra. Popularised by various Bollywood movies, songs, and Indian TV serials, Dahi Handi is famous worldwide. In this act, a Handi filled with Dahi is hung at great height. Groups of boys form pyramids using various strategies and techniques to reach the Handi and break it for the dahi to fall on the ground. The group of boys that successfully break Handi gets amazing prices and hampers. Dahi Handi is mostly performed by school or college-going kids.

• Dwarka- This city is again very close to the historic tales of Lord Krishna since it is said that this was the first kingdom owned by him. He ruled the city for about 5000 years until his demise. Dwarka is a city situated in Gujarat, India. It holds massive and grand Janmashtami celebrations across various streets. All the streets of Dwarka are spruced up with lights, crafts, and flowers. The temples are filled with people offering sweets and other essentials to Lord Krishna. Kirtans, play streets, and BhajanSandhya are held in various homes, societies, and temples. Children take part in each of these celebrations with great eagerness and excitement. The entire city of Dwarka is adorned with beautiful and colourful handmade crafts and decor items on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami. 

• Odisha & West Bengal- The people of both states worship Jagannath Puri, the famous temple situated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It is believed that Lord Krishna’s heart is found in the temple. The celebration in these states takes place mainly inside the temples, where deities are spruced up with new clothes, jewelry, beautiful cradles, and a lot more. All of this is done at midnight, the time of Lord Krishna’s birth. It is also believed that 400 items are offered as prasad to the deity. Bhajans, musical instruments, Kirtans, etc. add up to the celebrations. Children decorate and create cradles for Lord Krishna, assist in the prasad-making process, are involved in the process of dressing up deities, and enjoy a lot on this auspicious occasion. 

• Manipur- In Manipur, the culture of following ISKCON is widely prevalent. Lord Krishna is one of the most celebrated Hindu gods in Manipur and thus heartwarming Janmashtami celebrations take place in the city. The Manipuri way of Janmashtami celebration involves Raas Leela, folk dance performances, BhajanSandhya, and Keertan. Children dress up in northeastern folk costumes and perform folk dances in various gatherings and temples across the state. Huge gathering takes place in ISKCON temples all around Manipur on Krishna Janmashtami. 

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• Andhra Pradesh- The People of this state celebrate Janmashtami with great devotion and a lot of dedication. Young boys dress up as Lord Krishna and visit neighboring homes. They are offered with sweets and fruits on each visit. The celebration is accompanied by huge temple gatherings, community gatherings, and cultural performances. Folk dances of Andhra Pradesh on the beats of folk songs in folk costumes are performed by various artists in multiple gatherings across the state. 

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