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 Krishna
Jayanthi, is the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna,
the most popular and beloved of Hindu dieties.
Also known as Gokulashtami in South India and Janmashtami
in North India, it is a celebration marked with preparation of sweets
and savories which Lord Krishna likes, decoration of Krishna's idol,
decoration of the floor with kolams, by drawing the footprint of
lord krishna from the door to the pooja place, representing infant
Krishna's entrance into the home.
 Krishna,
the eighth incarnation in Lord Vishnu's Dasavataram, was
born as a human being to destroy the evil King Kamsa of Mathura.
It is said that more than 5,100 years ago, Krishna appeared in his
original, transcendental form to annihilate the miscreants, and
re-establish the principles of religion. During this time, Krishna
spoke the Bhagavad-Gita, which is one of the most famous
books in the world. In the Bhagavad, Krishna speaks of practical
methods to attain his devotional service.
For the Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu), Krishna is the
supreme being. He has the supreme form and personality. No one is
more beautiful or attractive than him. Therefore, he is called Krishna,
the all-attractive one.The Universe is created and destroyed by
his desire alone, by a portion of his form. He owns and controls
everything animate and inanimate within creation.  He
possesses all knowledge. As described in the Bhagavad-gita, "I
know everything that has happened in the past, everything that is
happening at present, everything that will happen in the future,
and I know all living entities. But no one knows Me." Nothing
exists outside Krishna, everything is the energy of Krishna. He
also exists within the hearts of all living entities therefore knows
everything which they do or desire.
Mathura, the city of Lord Krishna's birth, celebrates the
occasion with great fervour. The devotees observe a daylong fast
that is broken at midnight. Tamil Nadu celebrates Krishna Jayanti
by making offerings such as cheedai, murukku, butter, sweets,
payasam, sweet aval, sweet appam and other snacks to Lord
Krishna. Grand celebrations and special pujas take place in temples
of Lord Krishna.
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