City turns colourful for Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, was celebrated with fervour in the city on Sunday.

The festival is being celebrated for two days as many religious institutions following the Vaishnav tradition mark Monday, September 3, as Krishna's birthday. Some educational institutions and corporate companies observed the festival on Saturday; a few others would celebrate it on Monday.

Devotees on Sunday marked the festival by visiting temples and offering prayers to Krishna. Some observe a day-long fast and end it at the stroke of midnight, when Krishna is said to have been born. A few also continue their fasting on Monday as well.

The Hindu lunar calendar marks Krishna's birthday as midnight of the eighth day of the Sravana month.

While festivities are grand in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, believed to be the birth place of Krishna, it was marked with similar fervor in Bengaluru. Markets and streets appeared colourful, while children and elders dressed up like Radha and Krishna. The popular dahi- handi event was also held in some places.

Many organisations and associations held fancy dress competitions and cultural programmes, while a few of them also held night-long bhajan and dance events. Some also distributed sweets and prasadam to passersby.

People gathered in large crowds in the markets to buy fresh flowers and fruits for the festival, which led to a rise in the prices of many commodities, including vegetables.

Controversies

Like most festivals, Krishna Janmashtami is not without its share of controversies.

Members of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) and vegans in Bengaluru urged the citizens to use vegan ghee, milk and butter on the occasion and avoid the use of dairy products. They were roundly condemned and trolled on social media.