Janmashtami fervour grips temples across India as devotees join celebrations

NEW DELHI: Devotees across the country are celebrating Janmashtami with religious fervour, gathering at temples for Mangla Aarti and special prayers to mark the birth of Lord Krishna.

In Delhi, devotees have gathered in large numbers at ISKCON temples in East of Kailash and Dwarka Sector 13 to participate in the Mangla Aarti held on the occasion of Janmashtami. Devotees joined the prayers and celebrated the festival at the temples.

At the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura, devotees took part in mangala aarti and special prayers as celebrations continued at the birthplace of Lord Krishna. People also danced and expressed their devotion to Lord Krishna.

Mathura witnessed a particularly devotional atmosphere as devotees gathered at the temples across the city to participate in the religious ceremonies marking Janmashtami. The celebrations included prayers and rituals conducted at the temple, with devotees joining in the festivities.

Earlier, a huge crowd of devotees gathered at the Shri Banke Bihari Ji Mandir in Vrindavan for the Janmashtami aarti. The temple premises were packed with devotees, with people standing in long queues and moving through barricaded areas as they waited for darshan and participated in the celebrations.

#Janmashtami: Large number of devotees take part in the Mangala Aarti at Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in #Mathura.#LordKrishna #Janmashtami2026 pic.twitter.com/CDcQpypLDo

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In Delhi, the Birla Mandir also held Mangla Aarti on the occasion. The temple was decorated for the festival, with devotees participating in the early-morning religious ceremony.

The celebrations extended to Mumbai as well, where a huge crowd of devotees gathered at the ISKCON Temple in Chowpatty for the mangala aarti. The devotees participated in prayers and celebrations at the temple as part of the Janmashtami festivities.

The festival brought together large numbers of people at prominent religious centres, with temple premises witnessing devotional activities and celebrations.

With crowds continuing to gather at prominent temples, arrangements for crowd management and security remain an important part of the celebrations. At the ISKCON Temple in East of Kailash and other temples as well, police presence has been maintained as devotees gather for the festival.

Krishna Janmashtami, also known simply as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. It is observed according to the Hindu luni-solar calendar, on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Bhadrapada of the Hindu Calendar, which overlaps with August and September of the Gregorian calendar.

In Mathura and Vrindavan, the celebrations hold particular significance because of their close association with Krishna’s life and traditions. The combination of religious celebrations and large gatherings has brought a festive atmosphere across the country as devotees come together to celebrate Janmashtami. (ANI)