Festival · Shravana Krishna Ashtami
Krishna Janmashtami 2026
Krishna was born at midnight on Shravana Krishna Ashtami. A fast all day, and at twelve at night, the cradle!
Date, tithi and timing
Times are for Indore. The app gives times for your city.
Date by city
The date differs in these cities; it is the same in the others.
Next year, 2027
Quick facts
- Also known asGokulashtami, Janmashtami, Krishnashtami, Sri Krishna Jayanti
- WhereAll of India; biggest of all in Mathura and Vrindavan
- Puja forKrishna as a baby
- In one lineKrishna, Vishnu's eighth avatar, born at midnight in a prison in Mathura.
Krishna Janmashtami, in a little more detail
- 01
About the festival
Today is Krishna's birthday. Vishnu's eighth avatar, and everyone's darling Kanha.
A fast all day, bhajans and kirtan, and everyone waits for midnight. On the stroke of twelve he's born, and then the fast is broken.
And the lesson in the story: light is born in the dark. A prison, guards, a locked door, and still Krishna was born and got through safe.
- 02
Born in a prison
King Kamsa of Mathura was told that Devaki's eighth child would kill him. He threw his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudeva into prison, and killed their children one after another.
The eighth baby, Krishna, was born at midnight. At that moment every guard fell into a deep sleep and the prison door opened. Vasudeva picked up the baby and carried him across the Yamuna to Gokul.
There Nanda and Yashoda had a newborn daughter. Vasudeva left Krishna in her place and came back with the girl. When Kamsa lifted her to kill her, she appeared as the goddess Yogamaya. And Krishna grew up in Gokul, in Yashoda's lap.
- 03
In Maharashtra and beyond
At midnight the baby Krishna is bathed, dressed in new clothes and laid in a cradle, which is gently rocked. Then the naivedya, and the fast is broken.
In some homes small footprints are drawn from the door into the house: Krishna is coming in.
In Maharashtra the temples hold kirtan until midnight, and after the birth comes sunthvada as prasad. The next day is Gopalkala, and Dahi Handi.
Mathura and Vrindavan put on the Raslila. Manipur, Assam, Rajasthan and Gujarat keep the Raslila too, and at the Jagannath temple in Puri this is a big day.
How to do the puja
In short: Fast through the day, sing his name in the evening, welcome him in the cradle at midnight, then break the fast.
- 1Make your sankalp in the morning and choose how you will fast.Phalahar (fruit, milk, fasting foods), water only, or one meal: whatever your health allows.
- 2Clean the house, and decorate the puja corner and the cradle with flowers.A small cradle with a soft cloth. Without one, a swing or a low stool decorated with flowers will do.
- 3Spend the evening in bhajans, kirtan or a reading of the Bhagavata.The Bhagavata's tenth book tells of his birth. A chapter of the Gita is fine too.
- 4Shortly before midnight, bathe Balkrishna's image with water, milk or panchamrit.Panchamrit is milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar. Finish with a rinse of clean water.
- 5Dress him in new clothes with a peacock feather, and lay him in the cradle.Then rock the cradle gently and sing the palna.
- 6Offer naivedya: butter and sugar, sunthvada, fruit or a milk sweet.Butter for the butter thief! Sunthvada is dry ginger, dry coconut and rock sugar, ground together.
- 7Do the aarti and share the prasad.Give everyone the sunthvada and panchamrit as prasad.
- 8Break the fast after the midnight puja, or the next morning as your family does.The first bite is prasad, then a light meal.
What you needTick as you go
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Frequently asked questions
When do I break the fast?
Many break it after the midnight puja, with the prasad. In some homes it is broken the next morning, after a bath and puja. Follow your family’s way.
What can I eat on the fast?
Fruit, milk, sabudana, vari, peanuts, potatoes, sweet potatoes. Grains and dals are left out.
Do I have to stay up till midnight?
The midnight birth is the heart of the day. But the elderly, small children and the unwell can sleep and do the puja in the morning: health comes first.
What if I can't manage a fast?
With diabetes, a pregnancy, regular medicines or old age, ask your doctor first. Fruit only, or the puja and his name without a fast, is enough too.
Set a reminder in the app
The app sends a notice the day before and on the day, even offline.