Uttar Pradesh
Janmashtami in Uttar Pradesh
- 22 Aug 2024
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Uttar Pradesh is underway with Janmashtami celebrations, particularly in Ayodhya and Vrindavan, where devotees are visiting temples and shopping for the festival.
Key Points
- Krishna Janmashtami, also called Gokulashtami or Shrikrishna Jayanti, is a major Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
- Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated on the Ashtami (eighth day) of Krishna Paksha in the Bhadrapada month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, usually in August or September.
- One of the key highlights of Janmashtami is the "Dahi Handi" event.
Important Fairs of Uttar Pradesh
- Taj Mahotsav:
- It is a vibrant 10-day festival held annually at Shilpgram in Agra. This celebration draws inspiration from the rich Mughal and Nawabi culture that thrived in Uttar Pradesh during the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Kumbh Mela:
- The Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, celebrated by Hindus.
- The festival is held at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation.
- Pilgrims gather to bathe in the sacred rivers (Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswati, Godavari, and Shipra), seeking spiritual purification.
- Ganga Mahotsav:
- The Ganges River is very important to India and has supported many civilizations along its banks. A festival is celebrated in Varanasi during the Karthik month to thank the river goddess for her blessings and to ask for more.
- The ghats are decorated with lights and flowers, and on Karthik Poornima, people gather by the river to light and float earthen lamps.
- The Ganges River is very important to India and has supported many civilizations along its banks. A festival is celebrated in Varanasi during the Karthik month to thank the river goddess for her blessings and to ask for more.
