India Celebrates Janmashtami
Find out about the Hindu festival of Janmashtami and the nine masquerades of Vishnu.
1. Celebrating a birthday is a great reason for a festival. In India more than 800 million people celebrate Janmashtami to commemorate the birth of Krishna. Many different Hindu approaches and traditions are practiced throughout the world in different countries. The Janmashtami festival reminds Hindus of Vishne's triumph of good over evil.
2. During the Janmashtami celebrations, The Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu holy book in the form of a poem, is read without stopping. Many stories about Krishna are told, especially about his birth and his many pranks. Statues of Krishna as a baby are rocked. Plays are staged about the stories. Songs and dances are performed. Research more about these Krishna tales on the Internet or by asking people in your community who are Hindu.
3. To show what you are learning about Janmashtami, use Crayola® Colored Pencils to draw the nine masquerades of Vishnu--a fish, tortoise, boar, lion, dwarf, warrior, ideal man, blue figure, and Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Think about how to arrange these personalities to show that they are all Vishnu. Art books are fine resources for Hindu style ideas. Make your images dark, so they stand out.
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.
- Hindu holidays are based on a lunar calendar. Janmashtami falls on the eighth day of the black half of Bhadra (spanning August and September). Look at a lunar schedule and chart when this holiday will fall each year.
- Learn a story about Krishna and perform it as a play for another class. Create your own sets and costumes.
- Research other religions to learn about their holy days that celebrate an important birth. What elements are the same and which are different?
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