Ashtami Rohini (Janmashtami)

Malayalam

अष्टमी रोहिणी · અષ્ટમી રોહિણી

Next date

26 August 2027

Thursday · Krishna Navami

Tithi begins07:20 PM · 25 Aug

Tithi ends05:39 PM

Full panchang for this day

About

Kerala's celebration of Krishna Janmashtami. Known as Ashtami Rohini when Rohini nakshatra coincides with Ashtami.

Falls on: Shravana Krishna Ashtami in the Amavasyant reckoning, Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami in Purnimant. Same day, two month names. Worship at midnight, the birth hour. The strongest form of the observance requires Ashtami and Rohini nakshatra together. When they don't coincide, traditions split, Smarta practice generally follows the Ashtami, Vaishnava practice waits for the Rohini alignment, so the two can fall a day apart. The two dates are a real and well-documented divergence, not a duplicate.
Also called: Krishna Janmashtami, Gokulashtami, Sri Krishna Jayanti, Ashtami Rohini, Sri Jayanti

The story

Kansa, told that his sister Devaki's eighth child would kill him, imprisoned her. Krishna was born at midnight in that cell; the guards slept, the chains fell, and Vasudeva carried him across a swollen Yamuna to Gokul.

How it is observed

Fasting until midnight, then aarti, a cradle rocked with the infant Krishna, and the fast broken. Bhagavata recitation, jhankis of Krishna's life, and Dahi Handi the next day in Maharashtra.

Food

Fasting food through the day. At midnight, panjiri, makhan-mishri, charnamrit, and 56 items, chhappan bhog, in temples.

Regional variation

Mathura and Vrindavan are the centre. Maharashtra adds Dahi Handi. In Kerala it is Ashtami Rohini, with uriyadi and Guruvayur at the centre. In Tamil Nadu, kolam footprints of the infant Krishna are drawn from the door inward.

Common questions

Why does Janmashtami show on two different days?: Because the strongest form of the observance needs both Ashtami tithi and Rohini nakshatra, and they don't always fall on the same day. Smarta tradition generally goes by the Ashtami; Vaishnava tradition waits for Rohini. When they diverge you get two dates, and both are correct within their own tradition. Follow your family's temple.
Why is Janmashtami on a different day in Kerala?: Because Kerala fixes it to Rohini nakshatra, the star Krishna was born under, rather than to the Ashtami tithi that the rest of India uses. When the two don't line up, Kerala's date differs, and both are following a genuine part of the birth account. Guruvayur is the main temple for it.

2026

Sep4FriFridayKrishna AshtamiTithi begins02:26 AMTithi ends12:14 AM · 5 Sept

2027

Aug26ThuThursdayNextKrishna NavamiTithi begins07:20 PM · 25 AugTithi ends05:39 PM

About

Kerala's celebration of Krishna Janmashtami. Known as Ashtami Rohini when Rohini nakshatra coincides with Ashtami.

Falls on

Shravana Krishna Ashtami in the Amavasyant reckoning, Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami in Purnimant. Same day, two month names. Worship at midnight, the birth hour. The strongest form of the observance requires Ashtami and Rohini nakshatra together. When they don't coincide, traditions split, Smarta practice generally follows the Ashtami, Vaishnava practice waits for the Rohini alignment, so the two can fall a day apart. The two dates are a real and well-documented divergence, not a duplicate.

Also called

Krishna Janmashtami, Gokulashtami, Sri Krishna Jayanti, Ashtami Rohini, Sri Jayanti

Common questions

Why does Janmashtami show on two different days?

Because the strongest form of the observance needs both Ashtami tithi and Rohini nakshatra, and they don't always fall on the same day. Smarta tradition generally goes by the Ashtami; Vaishnava tradition waits for Rohini. When they diverge you get two dates, and both are correct within their own tradition. Follow your family's temple.

Why is Janmashtami on a different day in Kerala?

Because Kerala fixes it to Rohini nakshatra, the star Krishna was born under, rather than to the Ashtami tithi that the rest of India uses. When the two don't line up, Kerala's date differs, and both are following a genuine part of the birth account. Guruvayur is the main temple for it.