About: Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami, also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. In certain Hindu texts, such as the Gita Govinda, Krishna has been identified as supreme God and the source of all avatars. Krishna's birth is celebrated and observed on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in Shravana Masa or Bhadrapada Masa. This overlaps with August or September of the Gregorian calendar. It is an important festival, particularly in the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The celebratory customs associated with Janmashtami include a celebration festival, reading and recitation of religious texts, dance and enactments of the life of Krishna according to the Bhagavata Purana, devotional singing till midnight, and fasting, amongst other things. It is widely celebrated across India and abroad.