Bhubaneswar: Devotees across Odisha and the country are celebrating Janmashtami on Friday to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, observed on the Ashtami Tithi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrava under the Rohini Nakshatra.
In Puri, the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple has arranged elaborate, traditional rituals for the auspicious occasion, which will be followed by Nandotsav and the commencement of traditional Krishna Leela rituals on September 5. As part of these sacred observances, two Mahajan Sevakas dressed in the attire of Devaki and Vasudeva will perform the ceremonial birth rituals after the Jaya Bijaya Dwara is closed following the Sandhya Dhupa.
To facilitate these sacred traditions, public viewing at the shrine will be briefly paused, as confirmed in an official statement. “On Friday, 4 September 2026, on the occasion of Bhadraba Krushna Ashtami tithi, Krushna Janma Niti will be performed at Shree Jagannatha Temple. Accordingly, public darshan will remain temporarily suspended from approximately 7 pm to 12 midnight, i.e from the commencement of the Sandhya Dhupa Bhoga Chheka and continuing until the completion of Krushna Janma Niti,” the notice issued by the SJTA said.
Beyond the main shrine, the festival is being observed with grand fervour across various mutts and Goudiya Mutts in Puri, where worshippers are gathering for bhajans and kirtans. In Bhubaneswar, the ISKCON temple opened its doors at 4 am for Mangala Alati and Abakasa rituals before opening for general darshan, making extensive arrangements to accommodate the thousands of flocking devotees ahead of the midnight birth celebrations.
Grand festivities are also underway throughout the state and nationwide, with holy cities like Mathura and Vrindavan drawing lakhs of global visitors, while homes and temples everywhere are illuminated for the occasion ahead of Saturday’s high-energy Dahi Handi human pyramid celebrations.
