- Janmashtami 2025 falls on August 16, marking Lord Krishna’s birth on Ashtami day in Bhadrapada month
- Devotees observe fasts varying from Nirjala (no food or water) to Phalahar (fruits and milk-based diet)
- The fast is broken at midnight after prayers and offering food to Krishna, symbolising his birth celebration
Krishna Janmashtami 2025: Janmashtami is a highly revered festival in the Hindu calendar, marking the birth of Lord Krishna -- the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. Celebrated across the country, the festival is celebrated on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the month of Bhadrapada.
This year, the festival is being celebrated on August 16 (Saturday). On this day, the devotees observe fast as a way to purify the body and mind. The fasting rules vary depending on regional customs and personal practices, but they are all centred on devotion and reverence.
Here are some of the dos and don'ts whilst fasting on Janmashtami:
Maintain cleanliness
Purity of mind and body cannot be achieved without cleanliness. Bathe early in the morning, clean the house and pay extra attention to the puja area. Laddoo Gopal ji and the Lord Krishna idol should be given a holy bath.
Take sankalp
Whilst observing the fast, take a determined sankalp (pledge) as to why you are committing yourself to the worship of Lord Krishna. Chant mantras and prayers all day long.
Prepare homemade prasad
Prepare prasad (offerings) at home. As offerings to Lord Krishna, devotees frequently prepare meals like peda, gheeya ki lauj, nariyal gajak, panjeeri and other milk-based sweets.
Practice charity
Donate food, clothes or money to the needy on this day as an act of devotion and goodwill. Helping others is the best way to get close to god.
Non-vegetarian food
During the celebrations, abstain from all non-vegetarian food. Even if members in the family are not observing fast, they should also refrain from eating non-vegetarian food during this period.
Alcohol consumption
Avoid intoxicants like alcohol, tobacco or any other addictive substance whilst observing a fast on this day.
Types of fasts
On Janmashtami, devotees typically observe two main types of fasts: Nirjala (without water) and Phalahar (fruit and milk-based diet).
Nirjala fast: This is the most stringent form of fasting where devotees abstain from both food and water throughout the day. The fast is broken only at midnight, the believed time of Krishna's birth, after offering prayers and aarti.
Phalahar fast: For those who cannot observe the Nirjala fast, the Phalahar fast allows the consumption of fruits, milk and water. Devotees refrain from consuming grains, legumes and certain vegetables like onions and garlic, adhering to a Sattvic (pure) diet.
Rituals and breaking the fast
Fasting on Janmashtami is typically accompanied by day-long prayers, bhajans and recitations of the Bhagavad Gita or Krishna Leela. Many devotees visit temples, where the birth of Krishna is celebrated with great fervour.
The fast is traditionally broken at midnight after the symbolic birth of Lord Krishna. The ritual of breaking the fast involves offering the prepared food to Krishna, followed by partaking in the prasad.