A Star is Born-Janamashtmi

There was a brisk activity and several things were happening at the same time. A small pandal had been erected in the huge park. Some people were busy in arranging the buntings and others busy festooning the place with small neon lights. The centre of attraction was a small raised wooden platform on which five or six people were busy building a small temple from the bamboo poles by tying with twines. The raised structure had a pyramid-like shape on the top. Nearby was a pile of cut banana trees, the interiors of which were being cleaned to eventually cover the bamboo poles with these stalks from the banana stem. This was a yearly phenomenon at the Sarojini Nagar park in the heart of New Delhi where I spent my childhood. The entire activity was done voluntarily by the residents, and from the funds collected by the residents.  Some of the people were almost veterans at doing this. The final result was an outstanding job when the temple was finally ready after all the decor. My brothers and I would spend hours seeing all the action which went through the night before the Janamashtmi day. Before noon, the temple with idols of Radha and Krisna were in place with many tableaus of the life of Lord Krishna all around the pandal.

We children too staying in a cluster of houses got together to erect tableaus of Lord Krishna's life on a piece of land using dolls, statues, complete with Vasudeva lifting baby Lord Krisna over his head and crossing the river carved out of small stones, sand and filled with water. The thrill of indulging in these activities is beyond words. In the evening some devotional songs would be played and some children enacted scenes from Lord Krishna's life. A prasad would also be distributed. It was such an innocent funfilled time!

Everyone who has lived in  India where the Janamashtmi is celebrated has seen temples decorated with buntings colour lights, balloons. and shimmering decorations and in some places, the preparations commenced a few days ahead of the day! The long ques of devotees, devotional songs playing on loudspeakers and delicious prasad are usual sights. Every place in India celebrates the day in a unique way, ranging from ' Dahi- Handi' in Mumbai to 'Raas Leelas in UP, Rajasthan, Assam and many southern states

Several markets come up around the temples and the place would turn into small fairs. We too would attend the fair after visiting the temple.  After returning home, the aarti would be performed and was followed by a variety of sweets and savouries prepared at home. During the day, the aroma of sweets prepared in pure ghee, frying of nuts would fill the air.  No grains was used and the taste of everything prepared as an offering to the lord was divine.

I also remember visiting the temples in the cow belt of  Mathura (the birthplace of Lord Krishna) in a particular year. The rush was unbelievable and the chants of 'Jai Shree Krishna' would reverberate every now and then. The atmosphere was charged with emotions as people waited for the hour of midnight when the lord was born, to get a glimpse. The All India Radio and Doordarshan used to broadcast/ telecast directly from the Krishna Janambhoomi temple in Mathura into the wee hours of the morning

Over the years the form of celebrations has changed significantly. Not many people fast on the day! The activities have become more commercial. For most people, it is a day of indulgence and family fun. These festivals bring out the best form of the rich culture we have inherited.  Cutting across the barriers  of language, race etc. everyone participates on such occasions. This year the norms of social distancing would herald a new dimension to all the upcoming festivals that follow.  Hope we will be able to go back to the old ways where one can freely move and participate in all the fun activities without fear.

PS Image kind courtesy Google and own picture