Krishna Janmashtami or the advent of lord Krishna — an incarnation of lord Vishnu on earth — is observed on the eighth day of the dark half (Krishna Paksha) of the month of Bhadrapada, according to the Hindu calendar (September 5 according to English calendar), said Sumit
Pokhriyal from the laxmi Narayan Panchayiti Mandir at Araghar Chowk in Dehradun. He further said this year there will be Rohini Nakshatra for 24 hours during the celebration.
“It happens once 50 years. Illumination of the temple will start from Wednesday, he said. Celebrations, however, start a day before the festival day as the devotees sing devotional songs to celebrate the advent of the incarnation. On the day of Krishna Janmashtmi, celebration starts in the evening.
Devotees singing devotional songs would be followed by tableaus of lord Krishna and Sri Radha being taken out around 9:00 pm. Around10:30 pm, darshans would start. The temple would close around 2 am after bhog is offered to lord Krishna.
“We fast the whole day to mark the occasion. It gives us a rare satisfaction that can only be derived from such a fasting aglow with the radiance of self-giving to the presiding deity of the universe,” said Manisha Negi from Dalanwala in Dehradun.