Janmashtami Puja Vidhi · जन्माष्टमी पूजा विधि

How Janmashtami is kept: the fast, preparing Laddu Gopal's cradle, the midnight panchamrit abhishek, the bhog of makhan-mishri and panjiri, and breaking the fast, as the published guides describe it.

How the puja is done

When

Janmashtami falls on Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami. Krishna is said to have been born at midnight, in the Rohini nakshatra, so the main puja is done at midnight; see the Janmashtami page for the date and the midnight muhurat.

The fast

Rise early, bathe and take the sankalp (resolve) for the fast.
Many keep a fruit fast, taking fruit, milk, curd and makhana; others fast more strictly. Fasting rules differ from family to family.

Preparing for the night

Clean the house and the place of worship.
Set up Laddu Gopal (the child Krishna) on a chowki or in a small cradle (jhula), and decorate the place.
Keep new clothes and ornaments ready for his shringar.

The midnight puja

At midnight, bathe Laddu Gopal with panchamrit, then with clean water.
Dry him, dress him in the new clothes and adorn him.
Offer bhog of makhan-mishri, panjiri (including dhaniya panjiri), milk, curd, fruits and sweets; put tulsi leaves in the bhog, as Krishna's offerings are made with tulsi.
Rock the cradle and sing his praise, and do the aarti; Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki is widely sung.

Jagran

Many stay awake through the night with bhajans, kirtan and stories of Krishna's life.

Parana (breaking the fast)

Many break the fast after the midnight puja, with panchamrit or fruit, first offering the bhog to Krishna. Bharat Discovery's account of the older rules gives the parana the next morning. Follow your family's custom.

Customs differ by region and community: follow your family's way where it differs.

These steps are written in our own words; each appears in at least two of the published sources linked below, and steps found in only one source are left out. Puja customs differ by family, region and tradition; your family priest or family custom comes first.

About this text

Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, born at midnight in Mathura. Devotees fast through the day and keep the midnight hour of his birth with the abhishek of the child Krishna, Laddu Gopal, followed by bhog, the swinging of his cradle and the aarti. This page gives the observance as the published guides listed below describe it. Customs differ by region and community: follow your family's way where it differs.