Among most Hindus, it’s generally acceptable for the young (7 or younger) or the infirm to not take part in the fast. Many Hindus also allow for the consumption of water, fruits, and milk throughout the fast, while meat, grains, and liquors are strictly forbidden during the Janmashtami fast.
An example of a chant you could do would be the Hare Krishna mantra. Taking part in a kirtan in a group is a very good way of building a sense of community with the people around you and is thus a very important part of Janmashtami celebrations in many temples.
If you don’t normally attend services at the temple, you might want to call ahead and inform them that you would like to come and take part in Janmashtami festivities. They will be very glad to have you. Flower garlands are the most common decorations used during Janmashtami, but hanging festoons of leaves and balloons are also popular ways of decorating Hindu temples. Any colorful variety of flower will do.
The texts most commonly read from or acted out during Janmashtami celebrations include the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana.
The deity is bathed in a variety of auspicious liquids, including fragrant water, milk, or honey. This ablution ceremony is called the abhisheka. Although there’s no specific material you should use to clothe the Krishna idol, the clothes themselves should be colorful.
The unveiling takes place at midnight because this is the time that devotees believe the god Krishna was born.
Examples of snacks to bring include Sabudana Tikki, Roasted Makhana, Aloo Chaat, and Fruit Chaat. Sabudana Thalipeeth, Singhare ki poori, Dahi aloo, and Samvat rice khichdi are all examples of traditional dishes used as the main meal eaten during Janmashtami.
Note that the infirm and children under the age of 8 are generally not expected to fast. If you have guests, be as accommodating as possible. Encourage them to fast with you as part of the holiday, but don’t make it a requirement for them to take part in the festivities. Remember, Janmashtami is about showing love, both for Krishna and for others. If completely abstaining from food is too difficult, you can also eat light foods throughout the day to tide you over until midnight.
Examples of snacks to eat at midnight might include Sabudana Tikki, Roasted Makhana, Aloo Chaat, and Fruit Chaat. Sabudana Thalipeeth, Singhare ki poori, Dahi aloo, and Samvat rice khichdi are all examples of traditional dishes used as the main meal eaten during Janmashtami. Any of these foods can also be used as your offering. There is no set guideline for how much food to include in your offering, but a helpful rule of thumb would be to have each person offer 1 dish.
Place potted plants and bouquets of colorful flowers around your home and near the idol of Krishna. Decorative light garlands can also be strung up around windows and door frames, while colorful balloons are inflated and left to float in ceiling corners. Flower garlands, balloons, and festoons of leaves are all popular decorations used in Hindu temples during Janmashtami and are also suitable for decorating your home for Krishna.
The songs that are sung typically come from the Vaishnava songbook, although you can simply watch others sing if you don’t know the words or don’t feel like singing.
Yellow is the most widely used color for the dhoti, although any festive color (e. g. , bright blue, red, etc. ) will also work. Some accessories you can use to add to your child’s outfit include a peacock feather for the crown, a waistband, an arm band, and some lightweight jewelry.
These festivities often include markets selling sweet treats and decorations, as well as people performing the types of reenactments you might expect to see in a temple. Janmashtami festivals are also excellent occasions for dressing your children as Krishna and letting others compliment them on their outfits!
If you don’t have fragrant water, you can also use milk or honey to bathe your Krishna deities. The ceremony of bathing and clothing the Krishna idol is called the abhisheka. Use colorful clothing of any material to clothe the Krishna idol.
Note that you don’t need to have ceremonial paraphernalia in order to have a successful worship ceremony. What ultimately matters is that you offer what you can to Krishna and do so out of love and devotion.
