Sri Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Sri (Krishna) Jayanthi or Gokulashtami, is an annual festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatara of Lord Vishnu. Devotees decorate the floor with kolams (decorative pattern drawn with rice batter). They also draw the footprints of Krishna from the threshold of the house till the pooja room, which depicts the arrival of Lord Krishna into the house. The festival is celebrated in the evening as Krishna was born at midnight. It must be noted that Srivaishnavas do not celebrate Sri (Krishna) Jayanti in Aadi, but only in the month of Aavani (Simha Masam).
This year, the followers of Pancharatra Sampradayam will celebrate Sri (Krishna) Jayanthi on August 31. According to the rules given by the Purvacharyas, the avataram day of Perumal is considered to be ‘utthamam’ when there is a combination of Ashtami and Rohini in the evening time, and even more ‘utthamam’ when it is combined with Wednesday. The Pancharatra Sampradayam gives a higher preference to the Rohini Nakshatra than the Ashtami tithi.
