Dehradun is gearing up to celebrate Janmashtami slated on Thursday. Temples have been illuminated and the devotees are doing their last minute shopping to celebrate the occasion.
Priests of various temples in the city have drafted several programmes like Bhajan, Kirtan and Aarti. Tableaus depicting the myriad aspects of the lila of lord Krishna are being readied.
SP City Ajay Singh said that permission for a programme on breaking Dahi Handi(breaking an earthen pot filled with curd tied upto height 12 feet) to be held at Cantt area has been given.
Police would be deployed when earthen pots will be broken on Thursday, he added.
Meanwhile, the administration has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure peaceful celebration of the occasion. Singh said that policemen have been deputed at the temples and they have been directed to be vigilant to ensure peaceful celebration.
Vinod Kumar Jha, a priest of Sai Temple, Rajpur said that lord Krishna being born at midnight, the devotees would fast for the day preceding the celebration to break only after the Aarti (prayer) is performed after 12 am.
However, students from some schools based in Dehradun, including Brooklyn School, Dalanwala celebrated Janmashtami on Wednesday. Students performed stage plays, showing the multitudinous feats of lord Kirshna performed since his birth. Such plays are staged generally a couple of days preceding the occasion. Besides, kirtan, Aarti and religious discourses on the life of the lord would be organized in the city to mark the day.
Priest Jha said that like the previous years, Janmashtami would be celebrated in the Sai temple this year grandly too. Several progrmames have been lined up for the occasion. Kirtan, Bhajan and Aarti would be held throughout the day on Thursday.
“The temple premises have been cleaned. Tableaus on lord Krishna will be displayed. All the preparations for this programme have been completed. Thousands of devotees throng the temple to pay obeisance to the lord. Most of them fast for the whole day. Prayers are held in the evening at the temple. At midnight that marks the time of the advent of the lord, they break fast,” he said.
The temples located at Raipur and on Dl Road have been decorated. like previous years, this year too, large numbers of devotees are expected to offer prayer in the temples, said a priest.
A priest working at Panchayati Temple said that the works to decorate the temple suitably for the occasion of Janmasthami were going on in full swing. “A large number of devotees come here to offer prayer to the lord every year. This year too, there would be no exception,” he added.
Nitu, a resident of Raipur, said that they are preparing adequately to embrace the occasion with the religious fervour it deserves. “last year I fasted on Janmashtami. This year too, I would do the same,” she said.
Abhishek, a school student said that this year he too planned to fast on Janmashtami.