Ashtami Rohini Parade in Kochi

Krishna Janmashtami also known as Ashtami Rohini in kerala is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna. Krishna temples are brilliantly decorated at this time with oil lamps and festivities continue till early hours of morning. Large numbers of devotees gather on this day for a glimpse of their Lord in full shringar. Major celebrations take place in the Guruvayur Devaswom.

In Kochi city in the shores of Arabian sea in kerala has elaborate celebrations with huge and colorful parade with kids dressed in various costumes. Other celebrations includes fasting on the previous day (Saptami, seventh day), which is followed by a night-long vigil commemorating the birth of Krishna at midnight in the jail where his maternal uncle Kansa was keeping them captive, and his immediate removal by his father Vasudeva to a foster-home for safe-keeping.

At midnight, the idol of the infant Krishna is bathed, adorned in new clothes and jewellery, placed in a cradle and worshiped. The fast is completed after aarti, a special prayer. At day break, ladies draw patterns of little children’s footprints outside the house with rice-flour paste, walking towards the house. This symbolizes the entry of the infant Krishna into his foster-home i.e. their homes.