SREE KRISHNA JAYANTHI / GOKULASHTAMI

                             ‘NALAM THARUM SOLLAI POLUDUM SOLVOM;

                             OM NAMO NARAYANA;  NARAYANA NAMA OM.”

                            Gokulashtami marks the celebration of the birth of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Lord Sri Krishna was born on the 'Rohini' nakshatram (star) on Ashtami day of “Avani” month. This festival is also known as Sri Krishna Jayanti and Janmashtami.  Often,  the star 'Rohini' and Ashtami  do  not fall  on the same day. Whenever they fall  on different days,  Our Community celebrates this festival   on  the “Ashtami” day.  Vaishnavites  celebrate on  the day  when  “Rogini” star  falls.  This festival  falls sometime  between August and September on the Christian calendar.
Sri  Krishna  is  Lord  Vishnu's  ninth  avatar (incarnation) on earth. He is considered to be the Lord's most glorious incarnations. Even saying and remembering His name brings joy because Sri Krishna himself  was  a  manifestation of  joy  at all  levels  and  in all walks  of  life.  No other God in the Hindu pantheon, or  for  that matter in any other religion, is associated with so many romantic tales and so fully radiating with all the divine attributes as Sri Krishna.

Sri Krishna Jayanti is celebrated with pomp and splendor, in our families. We decorate the floor with kolams using rice flour. With Kolamaavu we draw Lord Krishna’s little footprint starting from our main entrance’s  Rangoli's Centre Point till the Pooja Room Pooja-Platform where we light our Kuththu-Vizhakku (Silver/brass main lamps). This signifies that Lord Krishna Himself has come to our House, on his very Birth-day as a Child!.  "Maa-ilai (Mango-leaf) Thoranams" and "flowers thoranams" are made and tied to the Main Doors of the house, Pooja-Rooms etc.

 The following sweets and savories are Lord Krishna’s childhood  favorite ones :-

       1.  SEEDAI (SALT AND SWEET).

       2.  MURUKKU.

       3.  ELLU URUNDAI (SESAME LADDU).

       4.  MAGILAMBU THENKUZHAL.

       5.  RAVA LADU.

       6.  AVAL-PORI.

       7.  THATTAI.

       8.  ADHIRASAM.

       9.   BUTTER & MILK WITH HONEY.

    We prepare the above Lord Krishna’s favourite sweets and savories and offer our Prayers to the Lord alongwith different fruits not forgetting  Bananas,  Coconut, betel-leaves and areca-nuts. Above offered  special dishes with Vermilion(kumkum), Vibhuthi , turmeric powder are given to  family members, guests and also to our neighbours, friends and  relatives, as “Prasadam”.   (Detailed, step-by-step,  Preparation methods (Recipes) of these dishes are given,  in “Our Community Favourite Dishes Recipe” section of  Thondai-mandala Mudaliars, web site’s  home page.).

      While offering our  Prayers(i.e. Aarthi),  Bhajans and devotional songs on Lord Krishna are jointly sung by all family members. (Devotional songs by great  Tamil poets are available for ready reference and for reciting in our “Thuthi Padaalgal” section of our web-site’s Home-Page).

       Those families who have small children, dress their children in Lord Krishna’s costumes, make them up like Lord Krishna with all the family jewelleries on them!.  It will be great sight to see these little children in Lord Krishna’s costume walking up and down  and also trying to walk on the little foot-prints of Lord Krishna drawn on the floor, almost resembling  dancing,  as  if  they are Lord Krishna, themselves!. No words can fully describe this  sweet and beautiful scene.  One has to actually see this great sight and enjoy and admire the Lord’s Blessings.

Great, indeed,  are his many Leelas and the way in which he charms one and all. Several sages and seers have paid rich homage to Him. Narada, Sri Kulashekara Azhwar, Andal, Tirumangai Azhawar, Nammazhwar have sung glorious verses in praise of Lord Krishna who embodies Shudda Satvam. The Bhagavad Gita coming from the Lord is the absolute truth which has withstood the test of time and has formed the basis and inspiration for many Acharyas and Azhwars.

The life and message of Sri Krishna is the most stirring saga of one of the greatest saviours and propounders of Dharma. Born in the dungeons of Kansa who was out to kill him at the very moment of his birth, Sri Krishna's life is replete with many such mortal dangers which he successfully triumphs over. He was the unchallenged hero of his times both in terms of his bodily prowess and his intellectual brilliance.

Sri Krishna Jayanti, therefore, signifies not merely the birth of a great and Divine Teacher of mankind in some distant past but the lighting of the spark of the Divine Power in every one of us, which spurs us on to play our dynamic part in this world of practical and hard realities with a sense of high spiritual purpose. Krishna represents the total power of attraction (Aakarshna Shakti) like a magnet of infinite rise. Hence Krishna is the source of joy.


 

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