Krishna was born at midnight in the prison of Mathura, under the Rohini nakshatra, to end the tyranny of Kamsa. Devotees fast through the day and keep vigil until the Nishita hour, when the birth is welcomed with abhishekam, the rocking of the cradle and jubilant kirtan.
Janmashtami Friday, 4 September 2026·Mumbai, Maharashtra
Krishna’s birth is celebrated at Nishita Kala, the sacred hour around solar midnight. The abhishekam and the rocking of the infant’s cradle (jhula) are done in this window, computed for Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Midnight birth celebration, abhishekam and cradle worship.
Daytime preparations, bhajans and general auspicious activity.
This year Rohini nakshatra, the star of Krishna's birth, accompanies the Janmashtami night.
The Janmashtami vrat is a day-long fast (many keep a nirjala or phalahar fast) held from sunrise, with a night-long vigil (jagaran) of bhajans until the midnight birth. When to break the fast (parana) depends on the tradition - so both the birth hour and the tithi/nakshatra ends are shown for Mumbai, Maharashtra:
Many households break the fast right after the midnight puja. The stricter Vaishnava custom waits until both the Ashtami tithi and the Rohini nakshatra have passed (shown above) - and if that falls at night, until the next sunrise. Follow your family’s tradition and local Panchang.
Krishna was born under Rohini, the nakshatra ruled by the Moon (his ancestor Chandra) and the favourite star of Vishnu. When Krishna Ashtami and Rohini coincide at the midnight hour, the combination is honoured as Jayanti Yoga - a rare and especially meritorious alignment. In years when Rohini does not fall exactly on the Ashtami night, the birth is still kept at Nishita by the tithi.
This year Rohini nakshatra, the star of Krishna's birth, accompanies the Janmashtami night.
Some years Janmashtami is announced on two consecutive days, and this is not an error. Householders following the smarta tradition observe it on the day the Ashtami tithi prevails at midnight (the Nishita rule). The Vaishnava tradition (ISKCON and many temples) additionally requires the Rohini nakshatra, and may keep it a day later when Rohini joins Ashtami only on the following night. KaalPanchang shows the widely-followed date above; if your community keeps the Vaishnava date, it may be the next day.
At midnight the image of the infant Krishna (Laddu Gopal or Bala Krishna) is bathed in panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar) in the abhishekam, dressed in new clothes and jewels, and placed in a decorated jhula (cradle) that the family rocks while singing. The bhog is Krishna’s beloved makhan-mishri (butter and rock sugar), along with panjiri, dhania panjiri, kheer, and fruit. Devotees chant the Krishna Ashtakam and read the Bhagavad Gita or Bhagavata Purana through the jagaran (night vigil).
From the human pyramids of Mumbai to the birthplace itself, Janmashtami takes on a different colour in each place.
Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. He was born at midnight in a prison in Mathura to Devaki and Vasudeva, under the Rohini nakshatra, to end the tyranny of his uncle Kamsa. Devotees fast through the day and keep vigil until midnight, when the birth is celebrated with abhishekam, the rocking of the infant's cradle (jhula) and jubilant kirtan.
Krishna's birth affirms the divine promise to descend whenever dharma declines and adharma rises. His life - as the mischievous cowherd, the divine lover, and the teacher of the Bhagavad Gita - embodies love, wisdom and righteous action.
A prophecy foretold that the eighth child of Devaki would slay the cruel king Kamsa, so he imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva and killed each of their children. On the eighth night, amid thunder and rain, Krishna was born; the prison guards fell asleep and the chains broke. Vasudeva carried the infant across the flooded Yamuna, which parted to let him pass while the serpent Shesha sheltered the child with its hoods, and exchanged him for a newborn girl in the household of Nanda and Yashoda in Gokul. That girl, an incarnation of the Goddess, slipped from Kamsa's grasp and foretold his doom. Krishna grew up among the cowherds of Vrindavan and in time returned to fulfil the prophecy.
At Nishita Kala (around midnight), the hour of his birth - shown above for your location.
Krishna was born under Rohini; its coincidence with Ashtami is considered the most auspicious alignment for the vrat.
A next-day custom recalling Krishna's love of butter: teams form human pyramids to break a high-hung pot of curd.
Last updated 28 July 2026