Kathmandu. The Vedic Sanatan Dharma is celebrating the festival of ‘Shri Krishna Janmashtami’ across the country today.

Lord Krishna, the founder of Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga, was born at midnight of Bhadra Krishna Ashtami in the Dwapar Yuga, so today is called ‘Shri Krishna Janmashtami’ and the night is called ‘Moharatri’. On this day, it is customary to worship Lord Krishna, discourse, perform bhajankirtan in Krishna temples across the country, and especially women and men stay awake all night by ‘fasting’.

Lord Krishna, who was born as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu to protect all human beings from injustice, tyranny and demonic tendencies, inspired the human community for good deeds by being in favor of truth throughout his life.

The ‘Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’ is considered to be the holy book expressed by the mouth of Shri Krishna himself while preaching to Arjuna, one of the Pandavas involved in the battle with the Kauravas in Kurukshetra. Also known as the Gita for short, this book is believed to have been translated into the most languages in the world.

It is mentioned in the mythological texts that Shri Krishna, who showed his strange pastimes since childhood, destroyed demonic tendencies like Putana, Kansa, Jarasandha and Shishupal. On this occasion, a big fair is held at the famous Krishna temple in Mangal Bazaar of Patan today. Similarly, devotees throng Navtandham in Kageshwori Manohara Municipality in the northeast part of the capital.

Devotees also throng the big and small Sri Krishna temples located in different parts of the capital. On this occasion, various religious organizations in Kathmandu take out processions and chariot processions with the tableaux of Lord Krishna. The government has declared a public holiday today on the occasion of this festival.