Monday, September 13, 2010

Krishnashtami

note: pictures link to high-res downloads
Krishnashtami, one of the largest hindu festivals in the world, celebrates the birth of the hindu god Krishna. In Nepal, this festive day is a national holiday, allowing one and all to enjoy the many celebrations held around the city. I was fortunate enough to be in Kathmandu during the holiday this year, and only a fifteen minute walk away from a major krishna mandir in Patan Durbar Square. The density of people increased exponentially as I neared the square from the north. Hundreds of people crowded the area, worshipers, tourists, and merchants alike. Standing on the high ground, I was able to capture the mayhem of the most crowded part of the square. In addition to the many people walking to and for, people lined the sides of almost any mandir that had space on it. Getting trampled while moving around was not improbable, so moving with traffic after leaving my perch was critical.

Many Hindus consider Krishna the 8th avatar of Vishnu, who fulfills the role of preserver of the universe in the group known as the Trimurti. Also included in the group are Brahma, the creator, and Shiva, the transformer.As a consequence of this relationship between Krishna and Vishnu, many mandirs dedicated to one or the other are also mutually used for worship of both. This fact was more than evident on Krishnashtami here in Patan, as many of the bigger ceremonies of the day were held at the larger Vishnu mandir. Decorated and accentuated with streamers, people, and smoke from the many pujas, Vishnu's faithful vahana known as Garuda, the being which a deity rides, sits in his shadow ever faithful.

After the lumbering monotonous walk past the mandirs, a large line appeared towards the southern end of the square. Composed almost exclusively of women and children, all present were waiting for darshan. The line stretched well beyond the limits of the last mandir, conveying its integral role in observance of the religious holiday. The act of receiving darshan from a guru or from an icon of god himself essentially proclaims ones devotion, and in this sense is a universally important gesture. The process typically involves the devotee bowing ones head toward the revered, or the touching of the head of the devotee to the feet of the revered. Not only is this a sign of respect and devotion, it can also be seen as a process of accumulating affection for God, which in Hinduism is a key process in moving forward spiritually.

It may be a while until the next time I'm able to enjoy Krishnashtami in Kathmandu. However, the excitement that goes along with celebrating the holiday here is too good to not enjoy again, so you can bet I'll be back very soon.

1 comment:

  1. Enjoyed reading your blog...great pics and very informative description ;0)

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