Bhubaneswar: Janmashtami, the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, is observed with great enthusiasm across Odisha. Devotees waited till late on Monday for the prayers, as it is believed Krishna was born at midnight.
Temples in the state have been beautifully decorated, and idols of Krishna are adorned with new clothes and jewelry. Traditional songs and dances, known as “Raslila,” depict the life and playful antics of Krishna.
In Odisha, Janmashtami celebrations are centred around the Jagannath Temple in Puri, where the festival is celebrated with elaborate ceremonies and the ceremonial bathing of the deity (Abhishekam).
As per the tradition, the Lord is taken by His father Baseudev to Saraswati temple where they cross overflowing river Yamuna. A Pujapanda in the attire of Ugrasena receives Lord Krishna from Basudev and the final puja of ‘Janmashtami’ is performed there.
On the festive occasion, special prasad, called ‘Deula Bhoga’, is offered to deities in the temple.
ISKCON temple in Bhubaneswar witnessed a surge of devotees who came to offer their prayers to Lord Krishna on the auspicious occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami. According to the temple priests, a special “Maha Arti” is scheduled to take place at the stroke of midnight.
The ISKCON Temple here was filled with devotees who had gathered to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna with great enthusiasm and reverence. The celebrations were marked by a grand aarti ceremony, adding to the spiritual fervour of the occasion.
Devotees beelined the Khirachora Gopinath temple in Balasore since morning to offer prayers to Lord Krishna. The temple administration has made elaborate arrangements for observing Janmastami on Monday and Nanda Utsav tomorrow.
In many parts of the state, the “Dahi Handi” event is a highlight, where teams form human pyramids to break a pot filled with curd, symbolizing Krishna’s love for butter. The festival is marked by devotion, joy, and cultural performances.
In several smaller shrines across the state the festival was observed with religious fervour. The celebrations are further enriched by devotional music and dance performances, including bhajans and kirtans.
