Importance Of Krishna Janmashtami Imperals

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Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in Iyangar Homes

Gokulashtami or Krishna Janmashtami or Sri Krishna Jayanthi means the birthday of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna, a major Hindu deity worshiped in a variety of different perspectives, is recognised as the ‘Swayam Bhagavan’ in his own right or as the complete/absolute incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

While, Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated in a grand manner all across India, by the Hindus, it is of significant importance for the community of Iyangars in South India. Iyangars or Ayyangars is a community of Hindu Brahmins of Tamil origin, whose members follow the Vishishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya. They are found mostly in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

There are two groups within the Iyangar community. One known as ‘Tholappar’ and the other as ‘Mannar’. There is a slight difference in the way these two sections of Iyangar celebrating Krishna Janmashtami. Tholappar community celebrate on the day of Rohini Nakshatra (star), while the Mannar celebrate it on the day of Gokulashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. As a general norm, everybody fast during the day and offer prayers to the lord in the evening and then have their dinner.

The way Iyangars celebrate Krishna Janmashtami is truly breath taking. I shall walk you through the entire procedure that include decorations, Pooja and the feast on this day, in Iyangar homes. And, generally in every Iyangar home the

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