Uttar Pradesh State PCS

• 22 Aug 2024

Janmashtami in Uttar Pradesh

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 18^th and 19^th centuries.
• Kumbh Mela:
  • The Kumbh Mela is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, celebrated by Hindus every 12 years at four rotating locations in India: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain.
    • 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.