Dhaka [Bangladesh], September 5 (ANI): The Hindu community in Bangladesh on Friday celebrated Sri Krishna Janmashtami with religious fervour at the historic Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka, with devotees gathering to mark the birth of Lord Krishna through prayers, rituals and traditional festivities.
The celebrations in Dhaka featured a major procession, a longstanding part of the city's Janmashtami traditions. Devotees and members of the Hindu community participated in the festivities, preserving customs associated with the festival across generations.
Speaking to ANI, Kajal Debnath, former President of the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Committee, said Janmashtami is observed by Hindus across the world and emphasised the importance of maintaining the festival's traditions in Bangladesh.
"Janmashtami is not for Bangladesh only; all over the world, it's been celebrated. We are celebrating Lord Krishna's birthday," Debnath said.
He said the procession in Dhaka was particularly significant, describing it as a "very historic procession" and stressing that the tradition has continued regardless of which political party is in power at the local level.
"We are maintaining tradition, no matter which political party the mayor may be," Debnath said.
Debnath also referred to remarks by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on the principle that religious faith is a personal matter while festivals and the country belong to everyone.
"I would appreciate Prime Minister Tarique Rahman because we used to say in Bangla... religion is personal, but the festival belongs to everyone, and religion is personal, but the country belongs to everyone," he said.
He added that Rahman's emphasis on security being a shared responsibility was also significant for the Hindu community, while noting that the community expected such sentiments to be reflected in practice.
Janmashtami, which commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, is observed on the eighth day, or Ashtami, of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Bhadrapada according to the Hindu luni-solar calendar.
The festival is traditionally marked by prayers, devotional songs, cultural performances, tableaux, fasting and midnight celebrations.
The festivities extended beyond Bangladesh, with Hindu communities across South Asia observing the festival through distinctive regional traditions.
In neighbouring Nepal, scores of devotees gathered at Kathmandu's historic Krishna Mandir in the early hours, with worshippers arriving from across the valley for darshan, prayers and prasad.
The temple premises witnessed long queues of devotees, some arriving as early as 4 am, as followers observed fasting and participated in traditional rituals.
Bhuvan Thapaliya, a priest at the Krishna Temple, told ANI that this year's celebration was particularly significant because of the alignment of Janmashtami with the Rohini Nakshatra, traditionally regarded as Lord Krishna's birth star.
"Among them, Janmashtami, the festival of Lord Shri Krishna, is a very ancient Vedic tradition. Just like our other major festivals, Janmashtami is one of the most important," Thapaliya said.
He explained that the festival falls on the Ashtami of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadra and is associated with the Rohini Nakshatra.
"This year, today is actually the day of the Rohini Nakshatra. Today is the Lord's actual birth star. This year, the alignment is perfect. As the saying goes, it's like adding fragrance to gold. It doesn't happen every year. So this time, it is very special," the priest said.
The celebrations in Kathmandu came amid the gloom caused by recent flash floods in Nepal, with the city's ancient temples providing a place of spiritual gathering for devotees.
In India, devotees across the country also celebrated Krishna Janmashtami with temples and communities immersed in devotional activities.
In Mathura, regarded as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, large numbers of devotees gathered for elaborate celebrations featuring decorations, bhajans and traditional rituals.
At the Kadri Sri Manjunatha Temple in Mangaluru, Janmashtami celebrations coincided with the 44th National-Level Children's Festival and Sri Krishna Vesha Competition, where children participated dressed in traditional Krishna attire.
In Varanasi, an elaborate tableau in the Jaitpura area combined religious heritage with contemporary development themes. The display featured models of the upcoming city ropeway and Vande Bharat Express alongside representations of prominent temples and cultural landmarks.
The tableau included depictions of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, Kanak Bhawan and Dasharath Mahal, Indore's Mahakaleshwar Temple, Mathura's Banke Bihari Temple, Varanasi's Vishwanath Temple, forts from Jaipur and temples from southern India.
Across the region, Janmashtami celebrations highlighted the diversity of traditions associated with Lord Krishna, with devotees coming together through temple rituals, devotional music, cultural programmes, processions and community gatherings to mark the festival. (ANI)
Bangladesh: Hindu community celebrates Janmashtami at Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka
