Janmashtami 2024 Fasting Rules: Rituals and Guidelines to Follow During the Fast 

Janmashtami 2024 Fasting Rules: Hindus celebrate Janmashtami as the birthday of Lord Krishna, is one of the favourite festivals among Hindus. The festival is observed on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the Bhadrapada month, which falls in August or September. Janmashtami 2024 falls on the 26th of August, yet this year, on Monday.

These are actually two words – ‘Janma’ which means birth and ‘Ashtami’ which refers to the eighth day of a month as per the Hindu calendar. Janamshtami is strictly followed in Mathura, the birthplace of krishna and Vrindavan where Krishna was grown up the festival is taken in large scale with grand procession where thousand of devotees join the procession.

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Fasting which is considered as to clean the mind and body is one of the most important rituals of Janmashtami. The process of Fasting differs for persons and even for different regions and yet they are all fundamentally focused on devotion and veneration.

Rituals and breaking the fast

On Janmashtami people go on fast on that day and they pray, sing, and read Bhagwad Geeta or read Krishna Leela. Several people attend the birth festivity of Krishna, which is commemorated through fanatical effervescence in temples. This fast is observed soon after the ‘janma’ or the birthday of Lord Krishna and thus, the fast is usually offered till midnight.

And after the end the Prasad, the prepared food is offered to Krishna in the course of the fast. The followers argue that whenever they fasting and doing these rituals genuinely they are becoming closer to Lord Krishna and seeking for his protection and guidance for prosperity and soul growth.

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Types of fasting

Phalahar Fast: Allowing fruits, milk and water, it attends to those who are unable to divest themselves of Nirjala, being strictly Sattvic, and avoiding grains, vegetables, onions and garlic. By observing a fast the devotees totally abstain from eating rice, grains, pulses and salt on the day of Janmashtami.

The devotees, for instance, cook with rock salt items prepared from buckwheat, amaranth, and water chestnut flour, among others.

Nirajal Fast: This fast is a tough and very strict form of fast as a person who is fasting can’t eat or drink until midnight until Krishna’s birth.

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