Telugu Festival
శ్రీ కృష్ణ జన్మాష్టమి
Sri Krishna Janmashtami
Birthday of Lord Krishna — 2026 date, Urdai traditions, midnight puja timings
2026 Date
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
శ్రావణం బహుళ undefined, పరాభవ నామ సంవత్సరం
Panchangam for Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2026
📍 Hyderabad, IST · August 19, 2026
Tithi
Krishna Paksha undefined
బహుళ undefined
Vara
Wednesday
బుధవారం
Nakshatra
Yoga
Karana
Timings (Hyderabad IST)
Rahu Kalam
12:20 pm – 1:54 pm
Gulika Kalam
10:45 am – 12:20 pm
Yamagandam
7:35 am – 9:10 am
Abhijit Muhurtham
11:56 am – 12:44 pm
Sunrise / Sunset
6:00 am / 6:39 pm
Muhurta Guidance
The Janma Muhurtham — Krishna's birth moment — falls at midnight when Rohini nakshatra and Ashtami tithi are simultaneously active. This exact window (typically between 11:30 PM and 12:30 AM) is when the main abhishekam and cradle-swinging ceremony should be performed.
Significance — ప్రాధాన్యత
Sri Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, on Shravana Krishna Ashtami — the eighth day of the waning moon in Shravana. In 2026, it falls on August 19. Krishna was born at midnight when the Moon was in Rohini nakshatra and the sky was covered with the eighth lunar day.
The Bhagavata Purana narrates how Lord Vishnu descended as Krishna to end the tyranny of Kamsa and to deliver the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna — the celestial song that remains a guiding light for seekers of dharma across generations. The Gita's Telugu translation by scholars like Tikkana forms part of the Telugu literary canon.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Janmashtami is celebrated with special importance in ISKCON temples, Sri Krishna temples in Udupi style, and in every household through midnight bhajan-kirtans and the breaking of the Dahi Handi at dawn.
Rituals — పూజా విధానం
Fast on Ashtami — many observe a complete fast until midnight
Prepare a cradle (oonjal) decorated with flowers for the Krishna idol
Draw small footprints of a child (baby Krishna) from the doorstep to the puja room in rice flour
Sing Gopala Krishna bhajans through the evening and night
Midnight Janma Puja: bathe the Krishna idol in panchamruta at the exact birth moment
Swing the cradle while singing lullabies to baby Krishna
Break the fast with butter, milk sweets and aval (flattened rice)
Participate in Dahi Handi (pot breaking) the following morning if accessible
Telugu Traditions — తెలుగు సంప్రదాయాలు
Urdai (Urdi) — in Telangana, women make Urdai (a tower of stacked clay pots) and young men form human pyramids to break it — a local Dahi Handi tradition
Baby Krishna's footprints (Krishnuni Padalu) drawn in rice flour from the street into the home — inviting Krishna inside
Govinda Govinda chanting through the night at temples — the midnight aarti draws the largest crowd of the year
ISKCON temples in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam hold Abhishekam of the Deity at midnight followed by distribution of prasadam to thousands
Feeding children butter and curd — recalling Krishna's childhood mischief of stealing butter
Recitation of Chapter 18 of Bhagavad Gita (the Moksha Sannyas Yoga) on this night
Traditional Foods — పండుగ వంటలు
Navaneya (fresh butter)
offered to Krishna and eaten by children
Aval (Poha / Atukulu) with sugar and milk
Krishna's favourite
Panchamruta
milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar used for abhishekam then consumed as prasadam
Gopalkala
beaten rice, curd, cucumber and coconut preparation
Milk sweets (Peda, Kalakand) distributed as prasadam
Seedai
small fried sesame rice balls
Related Festivals
2026 Telugu Calendar
All festivals, Ekadashis, Pournami and auspicious dates