Janmashtami 2020: Celebrate Krishna's Birthday with Club Mahindra

Janmashtami is a vibrant festival that brings India alive to celebrate the birthday of one of its most beloved deities

The only thing we need to have a good time in India, is a reason. A nation as vast as ours doesn’t think twice about letting its collective hair down and having fun together. Every other day is a festival in India and there’s always a celebration happening just around the corner. But some occasions trump others in the sheer magnitude of their celebration. Janmashtami, or Shri Krishna’s birthday, is one of them.

With equal parts piety and partying, Janmashtami is a vibrant festival that brings India alive to celebrate the birthday of one of its most beloved deities. Stories about Krishna tell us about a God who wasn’t afraid to have some fun. These stories are an integral part of the celebrations as Dwarka honours its most famous son. While this year the celebrations may seem subdued by the safety norms that precede them, we, at Club Mahindra, urge you to take all the required precautions to make the most of the festival.

The birthplace of Krishna, Mathura and its neighbouring city Vrindavan, where Krishna spent his adolescence, are the places to be in on Janmashtami. Devotees from all over the world gather to witness in the rituals that take place on this day. Krishna leelas and Raas leelas that narrate the life of Krishna in the form of plays and dance performances are organised by groups and attract tourists from all over the globe. The temples in these places come alive with flowers and beautiful decorations. If you’re looking for places to visit in Mathura and Vrindavan during Janmashtami, look no further than the Nidhivan temple, which is located right in the middle of a lush forest. The Raas leela here is legendary and with the monsoon in full swing rejuvenating the forest and sprucing it up, this should be a sight to behold this year.

Another place to be during Janmashtami is Dwarka. Krishna moved to this beautiful seaside town from his home in Mathura. If you’re looking for specific places to visit in Dwarka during Janmashtami, look no further than the majestic Dwarkadhish Temple. With its tiered main shrine, ornately carved entrance and a mesmerising black-marble idol of Lord Krishna, this temple is the epicentre of Dwarka’s Janmashtami celebrations. This begins with a very fervent aarti and often concludes with the party that is the Makhan Handi, where a pot of Krishna’s favourite churned butter is suspended high up in the air, and people form human pyramids in an attempt to smash the pot to win prizes and simply just have a good time. If this piques your interest, you might want to stay at Club Mahindra Dwarka or Club Mahindra Gir while visiting during Janmashtami, to stay close to the action.

Celebrations down south

Moving down south, the celebrations are marked by solemnity and fasting. But that is before the frenzy and feasting takes place. In Kerala, Janmashtami is called Ashtami Rohini and it starts with a day-long fast that ends at midnight, which is when Krishna was born according to legend. After the fast, the feast begins. People prepare delicacies made from curd and butter and dances are performed at temples and public places to mark the occasion. Places to visit in Kerala during Janmashtami are the Guruvayur Temple and Bhuloka Vaikuntha located in Guruvayur. The previous years have seen long queues of devotees waiting to wish Lord Krishna on his birthday and seeking blessings in return. This year, however, the restrictions may thwart the crowds. You can, however, still send your prayers and seek divine blessings from a short distance away, at Club Mahindra Cherai, Kerala.

Maintaining the highest safety and hygiene standards

All in all, Janmashtami celebrations in India are a reason to brighten up 2020 but the temples may restrict the number of devotees, even if they have the permission to stay open. Despite these hurdles, community spirit still prevails, and the celebrations may continue, albeit with minor changes. If you plan to celebrate Janmashtami at any of our resorts in India, rest assured that your safety and the safety of your family is priority number one for us.

With regular daily cleaning and disinfection of every square inch of the resorts and stringent safety protocols for social distancing, personal hygiene, and sanitation in place for staff and guests, Club Mahindra resorts are the safest resorts in India to celebrate Janmashtami with your family. Don’t just take our word for it. We’ve associated with Bureau Veritas, a global leader in testing, inspection and certification to maintain the highest levels of accountability for your health and safety and that of your family. This way, you can enjoy Janmashtami with your family and without even the slightest shred of worry in your mind. Read our Club Mahindra reviews online to see what people who have travelled to our safe resorts have to say about hotel safety at Club Mahindra resorts in India.