Janmashtami
जन्माष्टमी (pron: janmaashTami) is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of the deity Sri Krishn. It normally occurs in August. In Maharashtra it is celebrated with human pyramids that reach out to a haanDi (earthen pot) filled with dahi (curd/ yoghurt).
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Dahi Handi
In Hindi-Urdu cinema
Dahi Handi: Bollywood films interesting plots around the festival
Indian festivals are given importance in our Bollywood movies. However, there are a few such festivals which hold a different place in Bollywood. Festivals like Ganesh Utsav, Dahi Handi, Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, Dusshera are a few that helps to enhance the impact of a scene. Like Dusshera conveys a message of victory over evil, Diwali is festival of lights, Ganesh Utvas harps on the positivity of God, Dahi Handi too holds importance in movies. Let's take a look at a few movies which had highlighted Dahi Handi in their seqeunces.
Agneepath: Lead's grand entry
The Amitabh Bachchan starrer movie Agneepath was remade by Karan Johar in which Hrithik Roshan played the lead role of Vijay Dinanath Chauhan. In the movie Hrithik Roshan's character Vijay made a grand entry displaying his chiseled physique and sharp looks during a Dahi Handi sequence. His face was revealed only after he broke the Dahi Handi. The sequence showed a gist of the character, Vijay, who is loved by all, is popular and owns power as he breaks the 'matki'. Hrithik did justice to the entry with his power house performance.
Vaastav: Celebration time
The story of Mahesh Manjrekar's cult movie Vaastav moves hearts of millions even today with its gripping and heart wrenching storyline. Dahi Handi festival was used in the movie in order to show how festivals are celebrated in chawls. It is showed how a youngster, Raghu (character played by Sanjay Dutt) along with his gang of friends collects fund to celebrate the festival. The sequence actually reminded majority of Mumbaikars about their own Dahi Handi celebrations. The sequence was shot in the way it was in order to make sure that the audience could identify themselves as one from the crowd reveling during the festival.
Shaitaan: The chase
In the movie Shaitaan, a Dahi Handi song and a sequnce is used very cleverly. In the video of the song, we can see a Inspector Arvind Mathur (Rajeev Khandelwal) chasing Inspector Malvankar (Rajkumar Rao), a suspect, in the middle of the Dahi Handi celebration and the dahi handi song is played in the backdrop. Interestingly, the song's lyrics 'Pintya gela lamb...' relates the screenplay of the song as Inspector Malvankar's pet name in the movie is Pintya. The song is exactly what the scene is and accordingly, inspector Malvankar meets with an accident and the chase ends as the song culminates. The song is sung by a Marathi folk singer Chandan Shive.
Oh My God: The reality check
Paresh Rawal starrer Oh My God has a very interesting concept. The movie where a shopkeeper takes God to court when his shop is destroyed by an earthquake is well received by the audience. In this movie, the Dahi Handi festival stands of high importance, it is the time when Kanjibhai (Character played by Paresh Rawal) challenges god and shows distrust in him and claims that Dahi Handi festival and the expenses incurred behind it are of waste and one should stop celebrating such festivals. He also explains how youngsters endanger their life in order to break the handi and get the prize money. Sonakshi Sinha and Prabhudheva did a special song , Go go go Govinda for this seqeunce.
Aankhen: The master plan
In Amitabh Bachchan starrer movie Aankhen, the idea of robbing a bank by blind people comes in his mind only after watching a few blind students of a school breaking dahi handi during this festival. After watching them he understands that blind people can be trained to do things like sighted people and that is when he employs three blind men – Vishwas (Kumar), a blind person who has the power of the sixth sense, Ilyaas (Rawal) and Arjun (Rampal) to loot a bank.
Dahi handis' deadly accidents
2016: 2 children seriously injured, 159 govindas injured
Aug 26 2016 : The Times of India (Delhi) 2 kids, 12 & 9, battle for life as dahi handis defy SC
Not only dahi handis, law too was broken in 2016 . Many mandals flouted the Supreme Court's curbs on height of human pyramids and participation of minors. Though Janmashtami celebrations in Mumbai were relatively lowkey, Thane, a hotbed of politically backed handi events, presented a sharp contrast, with multiple violations of the 20-foot limit on height and inclusion of children in human pyramids as set by the apex court.
Two children battled for life after suffering serious head injuries. Both fell from the sixth tier of a pyramid. Besides, 159 govindas were injured and rushed to hospitals with cuts and bruises. A few of them also suffered fractures.
While organisers from NCP and Shiv Sena lay low, it was MNS that made a desperate attempt to gain political ground ahead of the BMC elections. Mumbai's Jai Jawan Mandal specially travelled to Thane to break the law. There its boys formed a pyramid that went all the way up to 42 feet, a little shy of the 43.79-ft feat which had once earned it a mention in the Guinness Book of Records.
Sixteen mandals, including Jai Jawan Mandal and Shiv Sai Mandal, were booked by Thane police for violating SC orders. An MNS functionary too was booked.
Ban on participation of children
The Times of India, April 12, 2016
Apex court refuses to interfere with Bombay HC order on dahi handi
The Supreme Court refused to interfere with a Bombay high court order restricting the height of the dahi handi and banning participation of children in breaking the handi (pot) during Janmashtami festival, forcing BJP MLA Ashish Shelar to withdraw his petition.
A bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices R Banumathi and U U Lalit told Shelar, “You carry on with the dahi handi celebrations. But do no use children in the formation of human pyramids. There is no religious significance attached to making children climb to the top of the pyramid and endangering their ives.“ The court's comment forced Shelar's counsel to withdraw his petition. The Bombay HC had last month sought reply from the Maharashtra government and Shelar on a petition alleging that height restrictions imposed on dahi handi were not complied with. The state-appointed committee, headed by Shelar, was formed to submit recommendations on the issue, keeping in mind strictures passed by courts. In August 2014, the SC had said no child below the age of 12 years would be permitted to participate in forming human pyramids during the popular dahi handi celebrations.
SC bars minors from dahi handi events
The Times of India, Aug 18 2016 Refusing to heed the con tention that the tradition of Lord Krishna stealing butter as a young teenager inspires the “dahi-handi“ custom, the Supreme Court said that no one below 18 years of age can take part in human pyramids formed to celebrate Janmashtami, reports Amit Anand Choudhary. The SC revived a Bombay HC order placing an age restriction on participants to prevent possible injury to children, and a bench of Justices A R Dave and Nageswara Rao also set the height of the human pyramid at 20 feet.
2017/ Children below 14 not allowed; no curbs on height: HC
Rosy Sequeira | HC bars kids below 14 from `dahi handi' | Aug 08 2017 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Children below 14 will not be allowed to participate in dahi handi, but there will be no curbs on the height of human pyramids formed to break the pots.
The Bombay HC declined to place restrictions on the age of Govindas.But it accepted the state gov ernment's statement that kids below 14 will not be allowed to participate. The court said it is for the state to enact laws in that respect. “... it would fall within the exclusive domain of the legislature,“ said a bench of Justices Bhushan Gavai and Makarand Karnik.
State-wise
Maharashtra: Norms for ‘handi' human pyramids
The Times of India, August 4, 2016
Amit Anand Chaudhary
Maha seeks `dahihandi' clarification
C an people below 18 years of age participate in forming human pyramids during `dahihandi' ritual on Janmasthami and can the height of the pyramid be over 20 feet? The Maharashtra government approached the apex court on Wednesday, seeking clarification on an earlier order. The SC had in an interim order in 2014 stayed a Bombay high court order, which had held that devotees below 18 couldn't take part in `dahihandi' and had capped the height of the pyramid at 20 feet. Confusion, however, arose as the SC did not set aside the high court order, giving an impression that its interim order was only for 2014 and the HC order was still valid.
Foods served on Janmashtami
Oudh/ central India
Anoothi Vishal, August 29, 2021: The Times of India
Growing up in Lucknow, my memories of Janmashtami are of homely celebrations, when we used all our creative skills and limited resources to make tableaux depicting the land of Braj and the stormy dark night when Lord Krishna was supposed to have been born at midnight on the ashtami of the monsoon month Shravan.
As we hunted for blue chalk or rangoli powder to depict the Yamuna in full spate and plucked greens from the garden to make the forest land alongside, a steady stream of festive goodies dotted the hours. This was fasting food that was more akin to feasting to mark the festival. In fact, Janmashtami was the only fast that children were supposed to keep, and that is perhaps because it was more joyful than austere, and the foods that were cooked were prized for their nutritive value in keeping with ritualistic foods around birth.
If you look at traditional Janmashtami food, both the fasting foods eaten in the day and the prasad, eaten after the fast has concluded with a midnight pooja, you will find strong parallels with postpartum rituals in Indian homes, when highly nutritious seeds, panjeeri with gond (gum), “warming” foods cooked in ghee and milk with mild and good-for-gut spices such as fennel and coriander seeds are fed to the new, lactating mother, in keeping with the tenets of Ayurveda. Many of these ingredients are today counted as superfoods and nutritionists regularly urge people to include them in their regular diets.
A distinct Janmashtami food tradition involves the use of seeds in the prasad offerings. Traditionally, in UP and Delhi, thals of chironjee, dried melon seeds, and makhane or lotus seeds are set by lightly roasting these in ghee and then crystallising with a thin chashni or sugar syrup. Wedges can be cut, stored and eaten long after the festival.
Chironjee is one of those lesser-known ingredients of ancient India that we seem to be forgetting. No equivalent exists globally, as is evident from the fact that there is no English name for this small brownred nut that the Mughal emperor Babur struggled to describe in his memoirs: “A thing between the walnut and the almond. Not bad!” he writes in Baburnama.
Chironjee is also an important ingredient used in the kheer cooked on Janmashtami for lunch for fasting devotees, who do not eat anna or grain. Instead of rice, chironjee and makhane or lotus seeds are cooked in milk. The kheer is further accented with dried figs or chuvara and raisins to give us the quintessential Janmashtami mewa ki kheer, not cooked at any other time of the year.
Lotus seeds or fox nuts of course have been enjoying a new bout of millennial popularity as a superfood full of calcium and magnesium to keep hunger at bay and help fashionable dieters feel full despite eating fewer calories. Fasting people perhaps found it similarly invaluable as a snack roasted in ghee.
Lotus in any case has been a ritualistically revered plant in India, with food historian KT Achaya noting that it was common practice in ancient Indian homes to grow lotus in water tanks meant for purifying drinking water, since the Buddha remarked that water meant for drinking should be clear, cool, shining like silver and with the smell of lotus. Another ingredient that has become fashionable with foodies seeking glutenfree alternatives to wheat flour is buckwheat or kuttu, from which fasting Indians have traditionally fashioned pooris and pakoris to eat with watery potato gravy or yoghurt when they eschewed grains. Kuttu, in fact, is a wonder ingredient even in a cuisine such as Japanese, used to make soba noodles, and lately it has been used by chefs and food companies for gluten-free snacks and pasta.
In villages of UP, Haryana and Rajasthan, a special Janmashtami tradition is the dhaniya ki panjeeri, an acquired taste for many. For the conventional atta panjeeri, whole wheat flour is roasted in ghee until its aroma fills the kitchen, and sugar, dried fruits, edible gum are added. To make this as a fasting food, roasted and ground coriander seeds replace the flour. But, Sneh Yadav of Tijara Farms gives another rationale for the use of coriander seeds. During the monsoon, coriander is supposed to cleanse the digestive system and keep diseases at bay. Many of our ritualistic foods obviously incorporate ingredients with seasonal therapeutic value in accordance as prescribed by Ayurveda.
Finally, ritualistic worship concludes with panchamrita, part of the prasad on Janmashtami. Made from five supposedly ambrosial (amrit) ingredientshoney, milk, curd, ghee and sugar — panchamrita is a modern-day equivalent of the ancient madhuparka (KT Achaya, The Illustrated Foods of India), offered as an auspicious drink on solemn occasions. Its making and ritualistic use is apparently set out in Ashvalayana Grihya-Sutra, Achaya mentions. Interestingly, this was also the first liquid to be placed on the lips of a newborn baby, in ancient India. Fitting, for a festival that celebrates a birth.
Gambling
Gujarat's gilded gambling
Golden playing cards become a Janmashtami fad in Gujarat
Manish Singh Rathore, TNN | Aug 27, 2013
AHMEDABAD: For many Gujaratis, Janmashtami not only offers a holiday and a time of worship but also provides an unofficial licence to gamble! Entire Gujarati families play card games like rummy and teen patti in the run up to the festival.
This year, however, the affluent have started flashing gold and silver-plated cards. Some of them are even playing the game with cards made of pure silver!
Gold or silver playing cards are a common sight in places like Las Vegas but the trend is catching up in Gujarat, say jewellers who are doing a brisk business.
"In the last few days, over 2,000 packs of gold and silver playing cards have been sold in Ahmedabad. The price ranges from Rs 1,000 to Rs 15,000 per pack. The demand for such playing cards is high ahead of Janmashtami," said Nayan Bhagat, who deals in wholesale of gold and silver playing cards. While most of these cards are imported from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, there are firms that manufacture it locally.
"I have supplied golden and silver card packs to a number of local jewellers. Apart from this, we are witnessing a high demand online as well," added Bhagat. Usually, such cards are used when the bets are higher than Rs 100,000.
Shanti Patel, president of Ahmedabad Jewellers Association, says that apart from Janmashtami, many people buy silver and gold cards for adding to their collection and gifting also.
Songs
From Hindi-Urdu cinema
10 Most popular Janmashtami songs The Times of India TNN | August 18, 2014
Bada Natkhat Hai Ye – Amar Prem: This song from the 1972 Hindi drama is one of the most popular Krishna Yashoda numbers ever. The song sung by Lata Mangeshkar is still called a 'classic'. RD Burman had a different tune for this song but when his father SD Burman intervened the tune was changed. RD Burman used to remember this song as his 'best music lesson' ever.
Go Go Go Govinda- OMG Oh My God- This song composed by Himesh Reshammiya is a high voltage song. The song featuring Sonakshi and Prabhudheva is a festive number. Sonakshi's dance in the song caught attention as soon as the song released. Though the song is not original it has a festive and dhamakedaar touch. This song is a total riot.
Radha On The Dance Floor- Student of the Year: Radha on the dance floor is one of the coolest radha krishna song ever. This Radha Krishna song is a new age party track that is sure to make you want to groove. The song created a rage within few days of its release. Shreya Goshal and Udit Narayan juggle well between fast tracks to desi beats. This radha song truly rocks!
Govinda Aala Re - Govinda: This superhit song is from the movie Bluffmaster which was released in 1963. Shammi Kapoor starrer this song is one of the best Janmashtami songs ever. Kalyanji Anandji gave the music of this song. This is a very energetic number that makes you want to groove along with Shammi Kapoor.
Chandi Ki Daal Pe- Hello Brother: This song marks Salman Khan's debut in the music industry. Chandi ki daal par is a fast paced song with comical lyrics. The number is upbeat and catchy. Salman's voice gives the song that extra edge. Salman Khan fans must play this song on Janmashtami.
Vo Kisna Hai - Kisna: Kisna may not have been a blockbuster, but this song definitely was a blockbuster. This song featuring Vivek Oeroi and Isha topped charts soon after its release. A perfect fusion of classical and folk, this song has a divine touch. Udit Narayan and Madhushree take the song to an alltogether different level of melody. A powerful Radha Krishna song that must be played on Janmashtami.
Radha Kaise Na Jale - Lagaan: Radha Kaise Na Jale is undoubtedly one of the best Radha Krishna songs ever. The song has a slight classical touch along with folk tunes which holds the song beautifully. Udit Narayan and Asha Bhosle create magic with their melodious voice. Gracy Singh and Aamir Khan make this song look even more beautiful on screen. This is a very soft and soothing number which much be played on Janmashtami.
Maiya Yashoda Ye Tere Kanhaiya - Hum Saath Saath Hain: Maiya Yashoda Ye Tere Kanhaiya from Hum Saath Saath Hain is a very popular song on Lord Krishna. The song has been sung by stalwarts of music industry - Kavita Krishnamurthy, Anuradha Paudwal and Alka Yagnik. On screen this song is a visual treat. Maiya Yashoda song celebrates naughtiness of Krishna and Radha's love for him. Truly a melodious song.
Yashomati Maiyya Se - Satyam Shivam Sundaram: This song from Satyam Shivam Sundaram is one of the most popular songs of Janmashtami. Little Padmini Kolhapure pays her tribute to Krishna with this adorbale act in the movie. This devotional song has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Laxmikant-Pyarelal's music won the Filmfare Best Music Director Award. Truly a song we must play on Janmashtami.
