Janmashtami

 

Curious about what I share my birthday with, I came across this, a celebration of the "Occasion of the Birth of Krishna."

An annual Hindu festival, it doesn't always occur on this day.  According to their lunisolar calendar, it is the eighth "tithi" of the Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapada Masa.  This overlaps with August or September.

Krishna was born in chaos, a time of persecution.  His uncle, King Kamsa, was told by fortune tellers that a child of his brother, Devaki, would kill him.  So Krishna was taken across the river to be raised by foster parents.  When his uncle tried to kill him, he appeared as the Hindu goddess, Yogmaya. He later returned to Mathura to kill the tyrant king and reinstated his grandfather.

Krishna is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian deities.  He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love.  He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu.

Dahi Handi is a traditional competition that takes place.

A clay pot filled with yogurt (dahi) is hung high. Participants create a human pyramid to reach or break the pot.  The surrounding crowd sings and cheers them on.  It is based on the legend of Krishna and his friends stealing curd from neighboring homes as a child.

After Krishna's midnight hour of birth, forms of baby Krishna are bathed and clothed, and placed in a cradle.  Women draw tiny footprints outside their door, a symbol for Krishna's journey into their home.

With his foster mother, Yashoda.