Janmashtami – the protector of cows, Lord Krishna’s birthday

Vrindavan is renowned for being the blissful abode of Lord Krishna. Every temple in the city is an epitome of love for the mighty Krishna and hence is visited by Krishna devotees from across the world. People visit the place all through the year, but the pious city is immensely thronged with pilgrims on the festival of Janmashtami, the reasons being obvious. The article below throws light on the rituals occasioned on Janmashtami at various temples in Vrindavan:

The divine Abhishekam: Abhishekam or the divine bathe of Lord Krishna’s idol in the temples is a common occurrence on the occasion of Janmashtami. Every Thakur ji temple in Vrindavan perform the pious bathe of the deity in the respective temples. Lord Krishna was born at the midnight so temples perform this holy bathe at 12:00 in the night while the Radha Raman Temple reveres the same ritual at 12:00 in the afternoon. It is said that Lord Radha Raman had self-appeared at 12:00 in the afternoon on Janmashtami hence the abhishekam is performed here in the afternoon.

Pilgrims visiting Vrindavan specially plan to visit temples on Janmashtami, to feel the omnipresent Lord Krishna on his birthday. Be it the famous Thakur Bankey Bihari ji or Radha Raman and Radha Vallabh ji, every temple in their unique way celebrate the high-spirited festival Janmashtami that enthralls pilgrims to visit them.
Sumptuous and Divine Prasadam:
Pilgrims also offer prasadam to Thakur ji in the various temples here. The divine Thakurji Banke Bihari Prasad is offered to the Lord and then distributed amongst the devotees. Pilgrims visiting the temple also offer prasadam to Thakur Bankey Bihari ji and seek his blessings for peaceful and prosperous life. It is believed that offering prasadam to the Lord paves way to salvation and doing so on special festivals like Janmashtami adds to the effect of offering.

The divine Prasad generally includes sweets and chappan bhog that includes 56 types of sweets to relish. Generally the prasadam is offered to the Lord and then taken home by pilgrims as the blessings of Lord himself.

Janmashtami is the birthday of Lord Krishna and celebrating his birthday in his homeland is the dream of every devotee. Many sites like Brijwale organize tours to the divine abode of Krishna, the Braj Vrindavan dham and plan visits to famous temples in the city. With help of these sites can easily plan trips to the divine land and spend your vacations amidst the tranquil ambiance of the city.