Janmashtami was celebrated in the Capital with zeal and religious fervour as people from all walks of life thronged temples and offered prayers to mark the birth of lord Krishna. Devotees gathered at Birla Mandir, ISKCON and other Krishna temples in the city where tableaux were set up while priests and devotees chanted hymns from ‘Srimad Bhagavad Gita’ describing incarnations of lord Vishnu.
Men, women and children of all ages, unperturbed by the humid weather, prayed at brightly decked-up temples, decorated with banana leaves, flowers and colourful fancy lights. The celebrations began with devotees fasting and keeping a night-long vigil singing hymns before they will be offering prayers in the morning.
Various Krishna temples in the city were decked up and people were seen making a beeline since early in the morning to offer prayers amid chants of ‘Hare Krishna Hare Rama’ and ‘Govinda ala re’. Special religious discourses and dance dramas were organised in various areas of the city. Markets in several areas also adorned a festive look.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple near Nehru Place and Birla Temple in Central Delhi were attracted large number of people since early morning. Youngsters in some areas revelled in ‘Dahi Handi’ festival by breaking curd-filled pots fondly recalling lord Krishna’s childhood. Religious processions were taken out in some localities in the city.
Idols of baby Krishna were also bathed in milk and honey, while enthusiastic followers formed human pyramids to break “dahi handis”. “It’s a ritual for our family to visit the temple early morning after the ‘mangla arti’ to seek Krishna’s blessings on this auspicious day,” said 42-year-old Vishal Seekri, who prayed at the Birla Mandir in Delhi along with his family. Children dressed up as lord Krishna, with flutes in hand and a peacock feather stuck in their headbands. At midnight, priests performed the “Mahabhishekha” ritual of pouring water and milk over the deity while the sounds of conches and bells fill the air.