Krishna Janmashtami: When is it celebrated?

By A Staff Reporter : Krishna Janmashtami or Janmashtami is celebrated as the birthday of Krishna, the avatar of Lord Vishnu.Krishna's birthday is also called Krishnashtami, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Sri Krishna Jayanti.According to the Hindu calendar, Janmashtami is celebrated when Rohini Nakshatra predominates on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha of the solar Bhadra month.The festival is celebrated between mid-August to mid-September every year, according to the Gregorian calendar.Janmashtami is celebrated in  various states including Mathura-Brindavana.Ras Leela shows Krishna's childhood activities, while the Dahi Handi ritual reflects Krishna's mischievous nature where a group of children try to break a stick of butter tied up high. This tradition is observed in Tamil Nadu as Uriyadi. Nandotsava is celebrated in many places after Krishna Janmashtami to celebrate the story of Nanda's distribution of gifts to all in the air of Krishna's birth.