Janmashtami Essentials: Recipes & Rituals

Indian festivals are always a happy parade of vibrant colors, joyous songs and delicious food. Janmashtami is one such festival, it celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna.. Each Indian festival exists with a combination of rich history, mythology and tapestry of customs and rituals.

Devotees remain excited through the year to execute their Janmashtami Decorations that include Krishna Jhankiya. These showcase incidents from different phases of Krishna’s life  depicting his birth and other milestones of good over evil. 

Let’s delve into the historical and mythological significance of Janmashtami and explore the importance of various symbols associated with this auspicious occasion, including the Krishna Jhoola, Krishna Dress, Krishna Bansuri and more. 

Let’s quickly understand the importance of Janmashtami 🙏

Spirituality – It’s a reminder of all the deeds that Lord Krishna has performed for his devotees and gives everyone a chance to celebrate his teachings and implement them in their lives.

Devotion: It’s an opportunity for devotees/bhakts to present their love for Lord Krishna and to get engulfed by the magical state of bhakti. 

The Essence Of Janamashtami 🪔✨

Lord Krishna is the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, it’s believed that lord Krishna was born in the holy city Mathura on the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada. 

It’s said that Krishna’s birth was the beginning of happiness & peace for the people of Mathura. Janamshtami also marks the end of the oppressive reign of King Kansa, Krishna’s uncle and the antagonist of his life. 

Let’s explore a few essentials that you would need to make your Janmashtami a success, you can also head to the Milkbasket app to purchase these and create the perfect aura for your celebration. Order till midnight and get them delivered by 7am! 

Krishna Jhoola: Krishna or as we know, Ladoo Gopal was placed in a cradle after birth and rocked by his mother – it denotes the motherly love and care that Yashoda had for Krishna. Similarly, when the devotees swing the Krishna Jhoola at midnight it shows how much they care for their lord. All devotees decorate the Jhoola with flowers and other ornaments to make the celebrations pleasing. 

Krishna Dress: Dresses or attires are an important part of Janamashtami! Krishna is known to adorn vibrant and opulent attires that exude positivity. From the distinctive peacock feather crown to the yellow dhoti, they all are symbols of divinity and charm. Devotees bring home Krishna idols and dress them up in traditional garments. 

Krishna Bansuri (Flute): When we think of Lord Krishna, the flute is probably the important next thing that comes to our mind. It’s one of the most symbolic elements of his personality. His melodious flute playing was considered an enchanting sound. His flute music is a symbol of divine love and companionship. 

Ladoo Gopal: This is another name that is fondly used for Krishna’s childhood phase or for baby Krishna. On the birth day, Janmashtami, devotees offer sweets, mishri-makhan and other food items that include butter, milk, curd-based dishes and more. Most of the food offered is milk related due to Krishna’s love for dairy.

Here are a few recipes that’ll help you savor the flavor of Janamashtami 🥣

Dhaniya Panjiri – It’s a sweet dish, traditionally prepared during Janamashtami to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna. 

• Dry roast 1 cup of coriander seeds & 1/4 cup each of sliced almonds, chopped cashews, melon seeds, and desiccated coconut until they’re lightly browned.
• In a separate saucepan, create a sugar syrup by boiling 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water until it reaches a one-string consistency. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder for flavor.
• Combine the roasted ingredients in a bowl, then pour the hot sugar syrup over them. Mix everything quickly until well coated. Serve the Panjiri as prasad when it’s cool.  

Charnamrit – It is considered as a sacred mixture of a few ingredients, the base for this recipe is cow’s milk and the following ingredients are required

• 1/2 cup fresh yogurt
• Handful Makhane
• 2 tablespoons honey
• A pinch of cardamom powder (optional)

It’s super easy to assemble –  

Take a clean bowl, add fresh dahi and cow’s milk and mix them well. Add a desired amount of honey and cardamom to enhance flavor. Stir everything together until the honey is fully dissolved into the mixture.

Voila! The Charnamrit is ready to be distributed as Prasad. 

Head to the Milkbasket app to fulfill all your Janamashatami needs! Scroll and choose your favorite products till midnight and get them all delivered by 7 AM next morning! 🛍️🛒