Krishna Janmashtami

Over 1 billion Hindus will today be celebrating the birth of the religious deity, Krishna. Based on scripture and astrological estimations, Krishna's year of birth, in the northern Indian town of Mathura was 3228 BC.

The 8th son of Devaki and Vasudeva, Krishna was believed to be dead along with his seven younger brothers-all of who were assassinated by their Uncle King Kansa. Kansa had assumed the throne by imprisoning his father, and carried out the murders of his nephews in the hope of circumventing an age old prophecy that predicted his own death at the hands of his sister Devaki's eighth son, Krishna.

It was for this reason that Krishna was stowed away to city of Gokul, where he was raised. Years later he returned to Mathura to avenge for his brothers' deaths and his grandfathers' imprisonment, and triumphantly claimed the throne as Lord Krishna.

Many Hindus celebrate the birth of Krishna by fasting all day and staying up until midnight to see in the day of birth; sing devotional songs, dance, exchange gifts; and read from scripture such as the Bhagavad Gita.

In some cities like Pune and Mumbai the local population perform Gokulashtami, a ceremony duplicated thousands of times over, where people form a human pyramid to reach an earthenware pot that has been placed as a prop at a great height. The person on top hits the pot with a blunt instrument thereby releasing buttermilk that proceeds to pour down the entire human pyramid. Buttermilk, according to folklore, was a favourite of Krishna’s, and he would cause mayhem stealing it from household to household.

Another story that documents the guilty pleasure that Krishna had for stealing food is of when he is with friends picking fruit. As they all climb the tree and drop fruit, Krishna stays at the bottom and proceeds to eat them all. They run and complain to his mother that Krishna is eating muddy fruit. Mother chides Krishna and berates him to open his mouth so that she can look inside. When he does so, what she sees is all that has been and will be, whole universe of moving and unmoving creation, the earth and its mountains and oceans, the moon and the stars, and all the planets and regions. She realises immediately that she is witness to a supreme being, a God.

It's clear Lord Krishna – and his stories of both triumph and mischief - hold a place dear to many Hindus hearts whether in Nepal, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or here in the UK.

And so to all of you; Krishna Janmashtami!

Ashok Viswanathan