Janmashtami, or Krishna Janmashtami, is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna. Krishna is considered to be the 8th avatar/descent of Vishnu. Hinduism is rooted in the idea of God taking many forms for different purposes. According to legends, Krishna was said to be born in times of chaos, where corruption, anger, and evil prevailed. It is believed Vishnu manifested in the form of Krishna to bring hope, moral guidance, and peace to the earth. To learn more about this festival, I have linked some articles at the end of this blog.
We dressed up Baby Krishna in his new clothes. Often in India, you will see parents doing the same with their young children and dressing them up like Krishna. This is because children are often seen as the embodiment of God due to their innocence and pure minds.
We bought this new attire for baby Krishna in Haridwar during our trip to India this year. Haridwar is particularly viewed as a religious place where the holy river Ganges flows. During popular Hindu festivals, many people may visit to pay their respects. It is common practice in Hinduism to worship elements of nature and the natural. Beyond religion, I think this view of nature is extremely unique. If we all viewed our natural world this way, I would like to think we would all become more respectful of everything the earth has to offer.
It is also common practice to offer 5 types of fruit to the Gods as a way to express gratitude towards everything that we have. Fresh fruit is seen as a symbol of generosity and bountifulness that the earth provides us with. Once offered to the Gods, this platter of fruit is considered Prashad. Prashad means that this offering to God is returned back to us as a blessing. It is a symbol of humanity and respect. When Prashad is given in temples, all visitors accept with it both hands, and is given to all. There is no preference for any individual and this ritual emphasises the equality of all humans. You don't have to be a Hindu, be of a particular religion, race, caste or gender to receive Prashad.
Imagine if we ate every meal like it was a gift from nature. Imagine how much our relationship with food and nature would change. It would revolutionise how food is produced and consumed.
To celebrate Janmashtami, I wore the traditional salwar (loose, wide-legged trousers) and kameez (long tunic), I went for a lemon yellow and white combo, which was perfect for the summer! I paired this with embroidered platform heels and light gold jewelry.
The concept of the salwar and kameez, otherwise knowns as the Indian Suit, was in fact first worn by Muslim women and was later adapted by women across South Asia. First, it was adapted by Punjabi women in India and gradually spread to the rest of India. It is often worn with a dupatta (a long scarf) but in recent years, it is becoming less popular and women are ditching this accessory. Women may carry a dupatta to temples to cover their heads, but it is not a strict rule. Over time, as fashion trends have evolved, you can find Indian Suits in different tailoring, from low backs to high splits. Here are some examples:
If you want to learn more about Janmashtami, I recommend the following articles:
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