Lord Krishna is a much-revered and popular deity in Hinduism. His birthday, called Krishna Jayanthi or Krishna Janmashtami, is a holiday in India and is celebrated in the country as well as abroad by the Hindu diaspora. During the festival, devotees engage in prayers, singing, fasting, and feasting. Krishna is portrayed as the god of love, compassion, and tenderness. He is a mischievous prankster, an irresistible lover, and very child-like.
The story of Krishna’s birth is a fascinating one.
Birth of Krishna
Krishna was supposedly born in the Yadava clan of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. His mother was Queen Devaki, and his father, King Vasudeva.
Mythology tells us that Krishna, who was the eighth avatar or incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was born on the 8th day or Ashtami of Bhadrapada month as per the Hindu lunar calendar.
It is said that Krishna was born in a dungeon on this day at midnight. Stories about Krishna’s life are called Krishna Leela. Devaki’s brother, Kamsa, was a tyrant who was terrorizing people on earth. He had grabbed the throne from his father, King Ugrasen. Mother Earth went to Lord Brahma in the form of a cow and told him about Kamsa’s antics. Brahma summoned Vishnu, who told Mother Earth that he would incarnate as Lord Krishna to end Kamsa’s reign of tyranny.
Kamsa got Devaki married to the Yadava prince Vasudeva, hoping to conquer the Yadava clan too. When Devaki got married, Kamsa heard a divine voice saying that one of Devaki’s children would kill him. Kansa wanted to kill Devaki at once, but Vasudeva begged him to spare his wife’s life and made a promise that he would hand his children to Kamsa as soon as they were born. So Kamsa relented, but he imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva in a dungeon. Each time a child was born to Devaki, Kamsa would kill it by smashing the child’s head against the prison walls.
However, the night Krishna was born, a bright light filled the prison. A divine voice woke the sleeping Vasudeva and told him to take the infant across the Yamuna river and leave him with his dear friend Nanda, the Gopa tribe’s chieftain. Nanda’s wife Yashoda had also delivered a baby girl that night. Finding the prison guards in a trance, Vasudeva carried Krishna across the swollen Yamuna river. Vishnu’s serpent, Shesh Naag, helped him carry Krishna safely across the river. Vasudeva reached Nanda’s house safely and exchanged the infants. He returned to the prison with the exchanged baby, who cried loudly when she was placed next to Devaki. The guards informed Kamsa about the birth of Devaki’s eighth child.
Devaki pleaded with Kamsa not to kill the baby, saying that the prophecy must have been wrong as she had a daughter and not a son. But her pleas fell on deaf ears. When Kamsa tried to kill the baby, she turned into Goddess Durga and warned him about his imminent death. She also said that she could kill him then itself if she wanted, but his end had to be timely, so she would not kill him. The goddess then vanished.
Kamsa felt that the prophecy was not entirely true, thinking that if his killer had been born inside the prison, he would have been killed by now. So Kamsa freed Vasudeva and Devaki and allowed them to live in a different palace. After some days, Vasudeva told Devaki the events that unfolded on the night of Krishna’s birth. Though she felt sad, she was also relieved to hear that her son was in safe hands.
Meanwhile, the kingdom received news of Nanda’s and Yashoda’s son’s birth. People talked about the child’s impish antics and how his mere presence could spread joy all around. Krishna, who was unaware of his destiny, grew up in Gokul. But Kamsa came to know who Krishna really was and tried to kill him many times, even when he was a baby. But Krishna escaped unscathed each time. Eventually, he would grow up into a strapping youth and make his way to Kamsa’s kingdom to fulfill his destiny by killing his evil uncle.
Krishna Janmashtami is a joyous occasion for Hindus. It is also a special occasion for children to have plenty of fun. Here are some Krishna Janmashtami Activities and Crafts for children.
1.Get dressed up like Krishna
2.Get dressed up like Radha, Krishna’s beloved
3.Decorate a Curd Pot or Dahi handi
4.Help the adults to make sweets & savories for prasad
5.Decorate a flute/Bansuri, which Krishna always carried with him
6.Decorate Aarti ki Thali (aarti plate)
7.Have a Matki phod celebration
8.Create a village scene using clay, colored sand, clay dolls, toy animals, etc.
9.Create a Jhula or cradle using newspapers for little Krishna
10.Paint your own peg dolls
Hope your little kids enjoy these ideas. Krishna Jayanthi 2021 or Krishna Janmashtami 2021 is on August 30.
