Janmashtami is celebrated with utmost joy and fervour by the devotees of Lord Krishna. The day, also known as Krishna Janmashtami, Krishnashtami, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti and Sree Jayanthi, marks the birth of Lord Krishna. He is believed to be the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is revered across India. On this day, devotees observe fast and seek blessings for the well-being of their family. This year, the festival falls on August 26, Monday.
Now, as Janmashtami is just a few days away, a lot of people must be wondering whether banks will be closed in all states on the day of the festival. The answer for the same is banks will not be closed everywhere. Both public and private sector banks will remain shut in cities that will observe the holiday on Monday, per the bank holiday calendar published by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Here's the complete list of banks which will remain closed on the occasion of Janmashtami 2024:
- Gujarat
- Odisha
- Chandigarh
- Tamil Nadu
- Uttarakhand
- Sikkim
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
- Rajasthan
- Jammu
- Uttar Pradesh
- West Bengal
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Jharkhand
- Meghalaya
- Himachal Pradesh
- Srinagar
It is advised that you plan your bank-related work accordingly. It must be noted that facilities like online banking and UPI will not be affected during the holiday despite the branches being shut.
Janmashtami marks the birth of Lord Krishna. It is celebrated on the eighth day of (Ashtami) of the Bhadrapada month, which usually falls in August or September.
Also Read | Fasting Rules For Janmashtami 2024: Types, Restrictions And How To Break The Fast
Lord Krishna is believed to be the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is revered across India. He was born in a dungeon in present-day Mathura in Uttar Pradesh at midnight to Queen Devaki and King Vasudeva. Krishna is described in Hindu epics as the god of love, tenderness, and compassion. He is also known for playing mischievous pranks and performing miracles with his supreme powers.
Janmashtami celebrations
On this day, devotees observe fast, wear traditional clothes, bathe and decorate Lord Krishna's idols in new clothes and jewelry, and seek blessings for the well-being of their families. People also decorate their houses with flowers and rangoli and observe ritualistic fasts. While a section of people observe 'nirjala vrat' until midnight, considered the birth time of Lord Krishna, some eat light, sattvik meals throughout the day. Since Lord Krishna was born at midnight, the puja for him is performed in Nishita Kaal. Devotees offer Krishna's favourite maakhan (white butter), milk, and curd to the idols after marking his birth at midnight.
In temples, festivities begin before dawn and extend all day until midnight, the time when Lord Krishna was born. Devotees organise kirtan, and chant the Lord's name.
Dahi Handi is also organized where people make a human pyramid and smash an earthen pot filled with butter and curd and hung at a height.
