Today, the Hindu festival of Krishna Janmashtami is being celebrated across the country. The festival celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, believed to be the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Janmashtami is the largest festival in the Braj region of north India - Mathura - where he was born, and in Vrindavan where is believed to have grown up. Temples are decorated and special programmes are organised in Mathura and Vrindavan to celebrate Lord Krishna's birth. Devotees come from far and wide to visit the holy temples of Vrindavan and Mathura.
Despite heavy rainfall, lakhs of devotees reached Mathura yesterday for the Janmashtami celebrations. They are likely to gather around Vrindavan or in Govardhan and Barsana for the celebration. The ritual of Dahi Handi is also a popular celebration of the festival.
