Why the Krishna Janmashtami festival is celebrated over 2 days !

Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated by devotees with great pomp and fervour, marking the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. This festival is observed in the Ashtami Tithi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. Janmashtami is celebrated across India, with devotees fasting to seek blessings and participating in Dahi Handi events. As per Drik Pachang, this year it will be the 5252nd birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. In 2025, the festival will be observed over two days.

This year, according to Drik Panchang, the auspicious festival will be celebrated over two days: August 15 and 16. The Ashtami Tithi begins at 11:49 PM on August 15, 2025, and ends at 9:34 PM on August 16, 2025 

Why is Janmashtami being celebrated over two days?

In 2025, Janmashtami spans over two days, beginning from the nightfall of August 15 itself, as per the Ashtami Tithi timings. Some devotees strictly adhere to the timings, while others wait for the alignment of Rohini Nakshatra, the star under which Lord Krishna was born. It depends on which factor is given priority: the tithi or nakshatra. Some strict followers of the timings begin observing Janmashtami rituals on August 15 itself, even if it’s just minutes away from the next day, making it a two-day celebration 

What are the rituals of Janmashtami?

There are many rituals that devotees perform on Janmashtami. These include observing a day-long fast; some even follow the Nirjala fast (a no-water fast), while others eat fruit only. Devotees also decorate their homes with flowers and lamps. Special aartis and pujas are performed in temples, which devotees attend. Devotees offer prasad to Lord Krishna as well, after puja.

In Maharashtra, especially, people form pyramids to break pots of curd hung above the ground, celebrating Lord Krishna's love for butter and his mischievous antics as a child. Many devotional songs and kirtans are also sung on this day.