As per mythology, Lord Krishna was born at midnight of the eighth and the ninth day of Krishna Paksh in the month of Bhadrapad of the Hindu calendar, which in this year falls on August 28 and 29, respectively. It is said that Lord Krishna was the eighth in carnation of Lord Vishnu.
Prateek Mishrapuri, the President of the Indian Oriental
Studies Society says that other incarnations of Lord Vishnu embody certain
aspects of the Lord, whereas of all the ten incarnations of the Lord, Krishna
is the only perfect avatar (incarnation) embodying all the 16 kalas (art of
life). As there are several dimensions of Lord Krishna, Kanha, Kanhaiya, Makhan
Chor, Nandlal, Girdhari, Murlidhar, Gopal and so on.
“We all find the reflections of this facet or that in his
life. We identify with Krishna. He is a man among gods and a god among men. He
is a superman, a perfect man, lives life at its best, striking a balance
between earthly desires and spiritual aspirations,” says Pradeep Joshi, a
scholar of the Hindu scriptures. In his childhood days, Krishna is a makhan
chor, indulging in child like pranks like all of us. In his youth he is a
romantic lover, playing the flute, casting a love spell on Radha and the gopis.
Krishna is an eternal lover and Radha the eternal beloved. This eternal craving
of love in the human heart exists in all of us. This Makhan chor and the
eternal lover is also a great warrior, who vanquishes evil forces for the good
of mankind. The great warrior becomes a profound philosopher, an observer on
the battle field of Kurukshetra. The message he gave to Arjun at the beginning
of the battle of Mahabharat is of deep wisdom and is the last word in the art
of living.
On this pious occasion, all the temples and ashrams are
tastefully decorated and illuminated. The decorated and illuminated. The Udasin
Nirmal Panchayati Bara Akhara is bathed in light and pageants are put up to
depict the various facets of the life of Lord Krishna. Children, enacting the
role of Radha and Krishna, playing the flute, are a major attraction for the
spectators, especially for women and children. At the Radha Krishna Mandir in
jwalapur there is a recital of the katha narrating the life of the Lord, which
is followed by an enthralling keertan in which hundreds of devotees take part.
At Bhuma Niketan in Bhupatwala area of Haridwar the jhankis (pageants), showcasing all the ten
incarnations of Lord Vishnu are put up, which attract a large number of
devotees. The jhankis put up at Garibdasi Ashram in front of the Haridwar Railway
Station and at the Bharat Mata Mandir are also major attractions for people.
Also Rishikesh Jairam Ashram and Parmarth NIketan, Rishikesh attract thousands of
devotees, while at Roorkee the impressive jhankis, portraying the epic drama of
Lord Krishna’s life are a delight to the eyes.
The eight – year-old
Renu of Govindpuri, Haridwar, loves the festival of Janmashtmi especially
because of the beautiful jhankis. “I, along with my parents, visit all the
jhankis in the temples of Haridwar and the BHEL every year,” says Renu with
glee.
However, for Divya Parashar, a housewife of Nirmala Chawani,
the day is special for its rituals. “Every year, on this occasion, I fast,
offer prayers and prepare delicious food and visit temples with my family in
the evening,” says Parashar.
On a wide note, Kamla Joshi of Dadubagh Kankhal says that
Krishna was a protector of women. “His Protected Draupadi when the Kauravas
were trying to strip her. We need a Krishna today when hundreds of Draupadis
are being subjected to atrocities,” opines Joshi.
Vijendra Singh Chauhan of the village Missarpur brings
another view of Krishna,a life, “Krishna,s wandering in the forest of Vrindavan
on the bank of river Yamuna should inspire us to protect our forests and
rivers.”
Ramanand Puri, a saint from Haridwar says that Krishna,s
teaching of Nishkam Karma is the only way to lead a tension free life.
“Janmashtmi is not only a day of performing rituals. It is an occasion to
imbibe the message of Lord Krishna,s life,” sums up the noted saint.
Source: Times of India
