Krishna Janmashtami
Also called Janmashtami, Gokulashtami, Sri Krishna Jayanti
When
Friday, 4 September 2026 in 8 days
New Delhi ยท change location
at sunrise. This observance is governed by nishita, not by the sunrise tithi โ which is why the tithi named here is often not the one the festival is named for.
See the complete panchang for that day โ
Governed by
Why this date?
Ashtami of the Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada (amanta) / Shravana (purnimanta), governed by NISHITA KALA โ midnight โ because the birth is placed at midnight under Rohini nakshatra. This site follows the ISKCON reckoning site-wide, an explicit product decision recorded in the festival dataset; Smarta and Vaishnava reckonings can differ by a day and the difference is real, not an error in either.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- The governing period is stated, and the rule is applied to it
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
- Smarta and Vaishnava households often keep this on different days.
Smarta practice generally follows the Ashtami tithi at midnight. Vaishnava practice also requires Rohini nakshatra, which can move the day. This site publishes the ISKCON reckoning as a stated choice.
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate โ
Dates in the coming years
- Friday, 4 September 2026 in 8 days
- Wednesday, 25 August 2027 in 363 days
- Sunday, 13 August 2028 in 717 days
- Saturday, 1 September 2029 in 1101 days
- Wednesday, 21 August 2030 in 1455 days
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The birth of Krishna at midnight in the prison at Mathura. Kept with a fast through the day, worship at midnight, and in the west of India the dahi-handi the following day.
- Deity: Krishna
Why The reason behind it
Krishna's birth is the pivot of the Bhagavata: the divine entering the world at its darkest hour, in a prison, under guard. The midnight timing is not decoration โ it is the point of the story.
Traditional basis
Bhagavata Purana, Canto 10 โ The birth narrative, the midnight hour, and the Rohini nakshatra.
Vishnu Purana and Harivamsha โ Parallel accounts of the Mathura birth and the crossing to Gokula.
How At home, step by step
- Keep the fast from sunrise; take the sankalpa stating what kind of fast you intend.
- Prepare the worship space and, where the family keeps it, the cradle with a small Krishna image.
- At nishita โ the midnight watch โ bathe the image, dress it, and offer the naivedya.
- Offer butter, curd, and makhan-mishri; these are the offerings the tradition specifically names.
- Read the birth chapter of the Bhagavata, or sing the household's usual bhajans.
- Break the fast after the midnight worship, or the next morning where the household's rule is to wait for the tithi and nakshatra both to pass.
เฅ เคจเคฎเฅ เคญเคเคตเคคเฅ เคตเคพเคธเฅเคฆเฅเคตเคพเคฏ
oแน namo bhagavate vฤsudevฤya
Salutations to the Lord, the son of Vasudeva.
The dvadashakshara. Widely recited in households without formal initiation.
What you'll need
- A Krishna image and a cradle
- Butter, curd, milk, makhan-mishri
- Tulsi leaves โ Vaishnava naivedya is not offered without them
- Peacock feather, flute, small ornaments
- Flowers, incense, ghee lamp
Fasting and breaking the fast
A day-long fast broken at midnight is the common household rule. Strict Vaishnava practice waits until both the Ashtami tithi and Rohini nakshatra have passed, which can push the parana to the following day.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- Maharashtra (Marathi)
Dahi handi the following day โ the human pyramid and the suspended pot of curd. - Gujarat (Gujarati)
Kept with night-long bhajan and the Dwarka observance; makhan-mishri is the defining offering. - Tamil Nadu (Tamil)
Gokulashtami: kolam footprints are drawn from the doorway to the puja room, and seedai and murukku are made. - Odisha (Odia)
Kept as a strict fast with the Jagannath temple observance at its centre.
For children
Krishna was born at exactly midnight, in a prison, and his father carried him across a river in the rain to keep him safe. That is why we stay up until twelve o'clock and put butter out for him.
Common questions
- Why do some people observe Janmashtami on a different day from us?
- Because there is more than one governed rule, not because one calendar is wrong. Smarta practice generally follows the Ashtami tithi at nishita; Vaishnava practice adds the requirement of Rohini nakshatra, which can move the day. This site publishes the ISKCON reckoning as a stated policy, and shows the alternative where it differs.
Not the same day
These fall nearby or share the tithi, and are often confused with this observance. They are separate, and this site dates them separately.
- Gokulashtami
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.