Janamasthmi is more popularly known as Krishna janamasthmi is a festival to celebrate Lord Krishna’s birth by hindus all over the world.

Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna, is decorated with flowers and diyas. The celebration starts from midnight by offering special pujas, singing devotional songs, donating alms and preparing sweets. A lot of kids dress up as “Kanha” today.

As a kid Lord Krishna was very naughty, he loved to eat butter and was famous for stealing it too. Everyone in the village lovingly called him “The Butter Thief or Makhan chor”. When they were tired of hiding the butter, all the village mothers decided that they will hang the butter high up in the air so the little Krishna will be unable to reach it. But who could stop Krishna and keep him away from the butter. He coaxed his friends into making a pyramid (or kind of a human ladder) so that he could climb up on them and reach the “handi” (pot). He would steal the butter no matter where it was kept. There are many more interesting stories about Krishna. No matter what he did people near him just loved him.

The date of celebration of Janmashtami varies every year because various astrological calculations. This year, Janmashtami 2012 will be celebrated today in India.

In Maharashtra, it is celebrated as Dahi Handi with enthusiasm by the devotees. The handi refers to a clay pot filled with buttermilk and is hung at a height so that devotees break it by hitting with a stone. Can you guess why?