Krishna Janmashtami
ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ಜನ್ಮಾಷ್ಟಮಿ
Thursday, September 3, 2026 (Smartha) · Friday, September 4 (Vaishnava)
ಶ್ರಾವಣ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಅಷ್ಟಮಿಯ ಮಧ್ಯರಾತ್ರಿ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಜನನ. ಮನೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆ ಬರೆದು, ಬೆಣ್ಣೆ-ಅವಲಕ್ಕಿ ನೈವೇದ್ಯದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಧ್ಯರಾತ್ರಿ ಪೂಜೆ.
Krishna's birth at midnight of Shravana Krishna Ashtami. Homes draw tiny butter-smeared footprints leading to the altar and offer butter, avalakki and milk sweets at the midnight pooja.
Auspicious muhurta · ಶುಭ ಮುಹೂರ್ತ
Sri Krishna appeared at midnight — the main pooja and arghya are offered in nishita kala (around 12 am).
How to prepare · ಪೂರ್ವ ಸಿದ್ಧತೆ
Get everything ready before the day — samagri to buy, home preparation and what to arrange in advance.
- 1Buy butter, avalakki (beaten rice), milk and curd, and ingredients for seedai / chakli
- 2Keep a baby Krishna idol or cradle and rangoli powder for the footprints
- 3Arrange flowers, tulasi and a decorated jhoola / mantapa
- 4Prepare naivedya and lamps in advance for the midnight birth pooja
- 5Plan the day's fasting food (phalahara) per family custom
Pooja vidhi · ಪೂಜಾ ವಿಧಿ
- Fast until the midnight birth muhurtha (per family custom)
- Draw Krishna's footprints from the door to the pooja room
- Abhisheka to baby Krishna idol with milk, curd and honey
- Butter, avalakki (beaten rice) and milk sweets naivedya at midnight
Stotras for this festival · ಸ್ತೋತ್ರಗಳು
ಗುಂಪು ಪಾರಾಯಣ
Mark Krishna Janmashtami with a group parayana
A group parayana of Vishnu Sahasranama is a beautiful way to observe Krishna Janmashtami at home or a temple.
Frequently asked · ಪ್ರಶ್ನೋತ್ತರ
When is Krishna Janmashtami in 2026?
September 3, 2026 (Thursday) in the smartha tradition; Vaishnava/ISKCON tradition observes it on September 4, 2026.
Why is pooja done at midnight?
Krishna was born at midnight in Rohini nakshatra — the main abhisheka and naivedya are timed to that muhurtha.
What naivedya is offered?
Butter, avalakki, milk sweets, seedai and fruits — foods beloved of baby Krishna.
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