KATHMANDU – Shree Krishna Janmashtami is being celebrated across Nepal on Friday with prayers, fasting and traditional religious rituals, as devotees gather at Krishna temples and sacred sites to mark the birth of Lord Krishna.
In the Kathmandu Valley, devotees have gathered at several temples since morning to offer flowers, prayers and other offerings and seek blessings. Worshippers were seen at the Krishna temple in Basantapur, while a large number of devotees also visited the historic Krishna Mandir at Mangal Bazar in Patan, one of the Valley’s most prominent centres for Janmashtami worship.
The Krishna Mandir at Patan Durbar Square holds particular significance during the festival, attracting devotees from different parts of the Valley. The temple and surrounding Mangal Bazar area become a major centre of religious activity as worshippers pay homage to Lord Krishna and participate in traditional observances.
Across the country, Janmashtami is being observed through puja, fasting, bhajan-kirtan, religious discourses and devotional gatherings. Many devotees fast throughout the day and continue their prayers into the night, as Hindu tradition holds that Lord Krishna was born at midnight.
Janmashtami commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, who is revered in Hindu tradition as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. His teachings, particularly those contained in the Bhagavad Gita, emphasise duty, devotion, spiritual knowledge and righteous action and remain an important part of Hindu philosophy.
The Government of Nepal has declared a public holiday on September 4 to mark Krishna Janmashtami. Celebrations at Basantapur, Patan and temples across the country reflect Nepal’s strong religious and cultural traditions, bringing devotees together in prayer and devotion on one of the important festivals of the Hindu calendar.
