Krushna-Janmashtami and Gopal Kala Festival

"कृष्णजन्माष्टमी" चा सण हा श्रावण महिन्यातील कृष्ण पक्षातील अष्टमी दिवशी साजरा केला जातो. अष्टमी ला कृष्णाच्या भक्ती प्रीत्यर्थ पूर्ण दिवस उपवास केला जातो. मध्यरात्री १२ वाजता कृष्ण चा जन्म झाला होता म्हणून १२ वाजता बाळ कृष्णाची मूर्ती पाळण्यात ठेवून त्याला फुलांची आरास केली जाते. कृष्णाला दुध, दही, लोणी आणि फळे यांचा नैवेद्य वाहून मग आपला उपवास सोडला जातो.

कृष्ण जन्माचा दुसरा दिवस हा "गोपाल काला". गोपाल काला म्हणजे उंचच उंच बांधलेली हंडी आणि ती सर्वात आधी फोडण्यासाठी सर्व गटांमध्ये लागलेली पैज. मातीच्या मडक्यात दुध, दही, फळे यांचा काला करूळ ती हंडी उंच जागेवर बांधली जाते. हल्ली या हंडी फोडणाऱ्या गटांसाठी हंडी च्या उंचीनुसार पैशांची बक्षिसे हि ठेवली जातात. थरावर थर लावून हंडीकडे झेपावणारे हे गोपाळ म्हणजे मैत्री आणि समानुभावाचा एक उत्कृष्ट नमुनाच म्हणायला हवा. कृष्णाने दिलेली माणुसकीची आणि जीवनाची शिकवण गोपाळ काला च्या निमित्ताने सगळीकडे रस्त्या-रस्त्यावर अनुभवायला मिळते.

तुम्हा सर्वांनाही कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी च्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा ! घराघरातील कृष्ण आणि राधा सुखासामृद्धीत नांदू देत हीच ईश्वरचरणी प्रार्थना !

Krushna-Janmashtami (or also known as Gokulashtami) is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna. According to Hindu calender, Lord Krishna's Janma-tithi (Birth date) is on Ashtami of Kushna Paksh in the shravan month.

This Krishna Janma celebration is for two days. Lord krishna was born at midnight on Ashtami, so people fast and worship whole day. At midnight statue of Lord Krishna is decorated with flowers and treated with milk, curd and butter as it was the favourite of baby krishna. "Bhagvad Gita" is also worshiped on this occasion, as Bhagvad Geeta contains the advice given to the whole mankind by Lord krishna. The extracts from Gita teach us the mystery of life and death, also it describes the common man the basic science of living.

Next day of Gokulashtami is known as "Gopal Kala". On this day, pots filled in with fruits, curd and milk are hung above on a high place. Groups perform pyramid gymnastics to reach this pot and break it. This is a sort of competition to break the sky-high "Hundi" (Soil Pot) for the prizes announced for it. This is also called as "Dahi Handi" (meaning Pot filled with curd). Baby Krishna used to still high-hung Curd and butter with help of his friends. Dahi Handi groups demonstrate the same story with this act. Dahi Handi is best example of how people play as a team to reach a difficult goal. I think, this was yet another trick of Lord Krishna to gather people and let them understand the strength of unity. That's why Krishna is adored as one of the most intelligent and brilliant among Hindu Gods.