On the eighth day of the black half of Bhadra (August-September) was born Shri Krishna, the eighth Avtar or incarnation of Vishnu. Therefore, this day is well-known as Janmashtami or Krishna Janmashtami. This auspicious day of birth of Krishna, the direct manifestation of Vishnu himself, is celebrated in all parts of India with eclat and great enthusiasm. In the Bhagvad Gida, Krishna declares: "All this Universe has been created by me; all things exist in me", and Arjuna addresses him as "the supreme universal spirit, the supreme dwelling, the eternal person, divine prior to the God:;, unborn, omnipresent". His life is celebrated in great detail in the Puranas like Harvamsha and Shrimad Bhagvatam. The circumstances in which he was born were quite peculiar and mysterious. He incarnated himself primarily to destroy evil and wickedness and to establish Dharma.

The demon King Kansa was a great and dreaded tyrant, but he loved his sister devaki, and at her marriage with Vasudeva, he, out of great affection, drove their marriage chariot. Then, all of a sudden an orcale told him that eighth born of Devaki shall be the cause of his doom and death. At this he would have killed her then and there, but for the intervention of Vasudeva and their promise to give him over each and every child born to them. They kept their promise, and Kansa killed all of their seven children one after the other to a great suffering and grief of the couple.

They were kept in the prison under strict watch and in chains and locks. So, Krishna was born as their eighth son in the prison cell. But it so happened, with divine grace, that the guards fell asleep, his parents' chains loosened and locks of the gates of the prison cell opened automatically. Vasudeva took the child Krishna to Nanda's House in Gokula and exchanged him for a baby girl born there to Yashoda. When Kansa heard of the birth of girl child, he at once rushed to the prison cell, and lifted the female child high, catching it by the feet and was about to dash her against a rock, when it slipped from Kansa's grip and assuming the beautiful form of the Divine Mother vanished saying. "Wretch! thy destroyer is~flourishing in Gokula". There was a great joy and rejoicing in Gokula at the birth of a son to Nanda and Yashoda. Yashoda was quite unaware of the exchange that had taken place during the night.

The lanmashtami celebrations start right from the early morning with bath in sacred waters and prayers, etc., but the climax reaches in the midnight with the rising of the moon, which marks the divine birth. On this auspicious day, strict fast is kept and broken only after the birth of Krishna at mid-night. The temples and homes are decorated, scenes depicting Krishna's birth and his childhood pranks, etc. are staged with models both living and inanimate. Child Krishna's image is put into a richly decorated swing and rocked with a tender care all the day by the devotees. At night after birth, a small image of toddling Krishna is bathed in Charnamrita, amidst chanting of hymns, blaring of the conches, ringing of the bells and joyous shouting of "victory to Krishna".

In Braja Mandala, especially in Gokula and Mathura, this festival is celebrated with greatest possible religious fervour and enthusiasm and the special deliberations of the day are relayed on the air. People from distant places congregate to Mathura and Vrindavana on this day to participate in the festival. The piety and fast observed on this day ensure birth of many good sons, and salvation after death. Reading and recitation of the Bhagvatam and Geet Govindam are most recommended on this day.

Hala Shasht :

It is also known as Balaram Shashti, and is observed on the sixth day of the dark half of Bhadra. Balram, the elder brother of Krishna, was born on this day. Our scriptures say that Vishnu took two hairs, a white and another black, and these became Balarama and Krishna, the sons of Devaki. As soon as Balarama was born, he was carried away to Gokula to preserve his life from the tyrant Kansa, and he was brought up there as a child of Rohini. He and Krishna grew together and took active part in many adventures which included the killing of many demons. He was a preceptor both of Bhima and Duryodhana. He had refused to side either with the Pandavas or the Kauravas. Balarama died just before Krishna, as he sat under a banyan tree in the outskirts of Dwaraka.

Balarama's weapon was a plough, so it is called Hala (Plough) Shashti. On this day, fast is kept by the women to ensure happiness, prosperity and longevity to their sons and only buffalo milk and curds are taken. The plough is also worshipped on this day. This fast, primarily a rural affair, is observed with much enthusiasm in northern India. After morning ablutions, a small piece of ground is sanctified and plastered with cowdung, etc., and a tiny water pool is dug in it and then the branches of ber (jujube plum), gular (a kind of fig tree). and palash (Butea Frondosa) are planted there in and worshiped. Unmarried girls observe the Chandra Shashti on this day, and fast, which is terminated with the rising of the moon in the night, whom they offer water and worship.