Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)

Krishna Janmashtami is a Hindu religious festival, celebrating the birthday of Lord Krishna. It is celebrated by people all around the world. The holiday sits in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada (August or September), the eighth day in the dark fortnight, and lasts for two days. The celebrations begin at midnight, the time when Krishna is thought to have been born in 3228 BC in Mathura. Krishna is one of the most important and loved deities in Hinduism because he is the embodiment of divine joy and love. Krishna survived many mortal dangers throughout his life, and he is celebrated for his intellect as well as his strength and agility. He is a central character in the Hindu scriptures and epics like the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad Gita. They portray him in various perspectives: as a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero/teacher, and the universal supreme being. The celebrations of Janmashtami are passionate, and many people move through the two-day celebration without sleep. They sing, dance and some choose to feast on traditional festival foods while others choose to fast until the birth of Krishna Janmashtami at midnight. Special foods are prepared in celebration, and they reflect the foods that Lord Krishna was fond of.