Ashtami Rohini Festivals - अष्टमी रोहिणी
Ashtami Rohini is the birthday of Lord Krishna and falls in the Malayalam month of Chingam on a day which is a combination of the Ashtami and Rohini asterisms. The day is observed with fasting. Devotees keep awake till midnight - the moment of Krishna's birth - chanting namas (the lord's name) with devotion.
Every Hindu home is cleaned and decorated for the occasion. Small footprints representing those of Unnikrishnan (little Krishna) are drawn using a paste of white rice powder. Palppayasam, a sweet delicacy made using sugar, milk and rice, is cooked at night.
In order to keep awake till midnight, cultural programmes and religious discourses are held at Krishna temples.
The most famous Krishna temple in the whole of south India is the Guruvayoor temple in Thrissur district of Kerala. A temple as old as the land itself, the Guruvayoor Sreekrishna temple as it stands today was built during the 16th and 17th centuries AD. Unlike other shrines this temple wears a festive mood every day. On Ashtamirohini day, Guruvayoor is a sea of people. Thousands flock to the shrine to see the Lord and a one-day festival is celebrated with much reverence.
It is also known as Gokulashtami and Krishna Jayanti or Jenmashtami. It is celebrated as the birth day of Krishna and falls on the fourth lunar asterism, Rohini and the 8th quart of the moon Ashtami. Ashtami Rohini is observed as fast. On this day, women specially refrain from food and keep vigil in Krishna's temple till night and when, after the Pujas are over, they partake of things that have been already offered to the god. The temple is illuminated with myriads of oil fed lamps and worship goes on almost till the early hours of the morning.
Every Hindu home is cleaned and decorated for the occasion. Small footprints representing those of Unnikrishnan (little Krishna) are drawn using a paste of white rice powder. Palppayasam, a sweet delicacy made using sugar, milk and rice, is cooked at night.
In order to keep awake till midnight, cultural programmes and religious discourses are held at Krishna temples.
The most famous Krishna temple in the whole of south India is the Guruvayoor temple in Thrissur district of Kerala. A temple as old as the land itself, the Guruvayoor Sreekrishna temple as it stands today was built during the 16th and 17th centuries AD. Unlike other shrines this temple wears a festive mood every day. On Ashtamirohini day, Guruvayoor is a sea of people. Thousands flock to the shrine to see the Lord and a one-day festival is celebrated with much reverence.
It is also known as Gokulashtami and Krishna Jayanti or Jenmashtami. It is celebrated as the birth day of Krishna and falls on the fourth lunar asterism, Rohini and the 8th quart of the moon Ashtami. Ashtami Rohini is observed as fast. On this day, women specially refrain from food and keep vigil in Krishna's temple till night and when, after the Pujas are over, they partake of things that have been already offered to the god. The temple is illuminated with myriads of oil fed lamps and worship goes on almost till the early hours of the morning.