Janmashtami, one of the major festivals of the Hindu community commemorating the birth of Lord Sri Krishna, was celebrated in the country on Monday (Aug 26) with due religious fervour and gaiety. In the Janmashtami festival, prayers were offered for the flood-affected people. Organizers also announced to send financial assistance to flood affected people as expanses of the festival have been reduced. Prayers were also offered for peace of the country and the nation, local media reported.
Marking the festival, temples and religious organizations and institutions chalked out various programmes including bringing out colorful processions, discussions, recitation from Srimad Bhagavad, arati, kirtan and cultural function across the country including capital Dhaka.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee took different programme centrally at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka. Rituals of the Janmashtami festival began with Geeta Joggo seeking blessings of the country and the nation at 8 a.m. at Dhakeshwari National Temple.
A discussion was held at 3 p.m. in the capital's Palashi intersection marking the festival. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul joined it as the chief guest. Later, a colorful procession was brought from there. Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md. Nahid Islam inaugurated the procession.
From the Palashi intersection, the procession marched through Jagannath Hall, Central Shaheed Minar, Doyel Chattar, High Court, Banga Bazar, Nagar Bhaban, Golap Shah Mazar, Gulistan intersection, Nababpur Road, Roy Saheb Bazar intersection and ended at Bahadur Shah Park.
Wearing colourful dresses, devotees joined the procession. Children were dressed up as Lord Krishna to join the event. Vehicles were also decorated colourfully to join the procession. Idols of Radha-Krishna, Raths of Lord Krishna and decorated prison of Raja Kangsha were displayed in the procession. Devotees from different parts of the capital and different upazilas of the district joined procession.
Programmes were also arranged at Ramna Kali Mandir, Rajarbagh Baradeshwari Kalimata Mandir, Mirpur Central Temple and different temples in the capital. Colorful processions were also brought out from at upazila, district and divisional levels in the country.
National dailies published special articles while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, other private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes highlighting various aspects of life and philosophy of Lord Sri Krishna.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) took a three-day programme from Sunday at Swamibagh Asram in the capital to mark the festival. The programmes included recitation from Srimad Bhagavad Geeta, performance of devotional songs, Vog Arati, distribution of Mahaprashad, discussion and cultural function.
According to the Hindu mythology, Sri Krishna was born on the eighth day (ashtami tithi) of dark fortnight (Krishna Krishna Paksha) in the Bangla month of Bhadra and he takes birth in ages in the world to safeguard the good and pious people from the hands of malevolent people by establishing truth, justice and beauty in the society.
The day of Janmashtami is a public holiday in Bangladesh.
