Every year, devotees gather at ISKCON Guntur to mark the divine appearance of Lord Sri Krishna. The celebration runs the full day and night, reaching its heart at the midnight aarti.
Sri Krishna Janmashtami falls on the Ashtami tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. This is the night the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, appeared in the prison of Kamsa at Mathura. He was born to Devaki and Vasudeva in circumstances the Srimad Bhagavatam describes in extraordinary detail: the dark night, lotus flowers blooming at midnight, a divine light filling the cell.
The scriptures call Him Aja, the unborn. Yet He chose to descend. In the fourth chapter of Bhagavad Gita, the Lord Himself explains this: He appears in every age to protect the righteous, to bring an end to what is irreligious, and to restore the eternal principles of dharma.
At ISKCON Guntur, the celebration lasts the full day and night. Devotees observe a complete fast, attend abhishek and maha kirtan through the day, witness the Krishna Leela drama, and break their fast only after the grand midnight aarti at the precise moment of the Lord's appearance.
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṃsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
"To deliver the pious, to end the reign of those who destroy dharma, and to re-establish the eternal principles of righteousness, I appear in every age."
— Bhagavad Gita 4.8This verse is the theological ground of Janmashtami. The Lord's appearance is not a mythological event locked in the ancient past. He comes whenever dharma requires it.
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Sri Sri Radha Madan Gopal are bathed with panchamrita, Ganga jal, turmeric, kumkum, and rose water. Priests perform the full Vedic recitation as devotees witness the ceremony.
Continuous kirtan fills the mandir through the day. Devotees lead the glorification of the Lord without interruption, building to a crescendo at midnight.
Devotee performers enact Krishna's divine pastimes, from His birth in Kamsa's prison through the Vrindavan leelas, following the Bhagavatam.
The 12:00 AM aarti is the heart of the celebration. At the exact moment the Lord appeared, conches sound, bells ring, and the assembly joins the mahamantra.
Janmashtami falls on the Ashtami tithi of Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapada, placing it in August or September each year. For the exact date and full programme, visit our Events page.
Mangal Aarti, abhishek, kirtan, and the Krishna Leela drama continue through the day. The grand Midnight Aarti marks the precise moment of the Lord's appearance. Entry is free and open to all.
Visit ISKCON Guntur for darshan and the full day-and-night celebration. See our Events page for directions, parking, and the detailed schedule.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Whether you offer a seva, come for darshan, or simply sit in kirtan for a few minutes, this tithi is unlike any other in the Vaishnava calendar. Come with an open heart. Entry is free. Krishna's darshan is free. His grace is boundless.
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