Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated across Raipur on Friday, September 4, with temples preparing special abhisheks, bhajan-kirtans, tableaux and midnight birth ceremonies. Several prominent temples in the city have planned elaborate programmes, while the celebrations will also extend to Raipur's City Kotwali, where the birth of Lord Krishna will be staged inside a recreated prison setting.

The festival commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna and is traditionally marked by fasting, devotional programmes and a midnight worship ceremony. In 2026, Janmashtami falls on September 4, although the Nishita period for the midnight ritual extends into the early hours of September 5.

Jaitusav Math to Offer 11 Quintals of Malpua

At Shri Jaitusav Math in Raipur's Purani Basti, preparations have been completed for the birth celebration of Thakurji. A bhajan sandhya is scheduled for 4 pm on September 4, followed by special golden adornment of the deity.

The Krishna birth ceremony will be held around midnight, accompanied by chanting and aarti. The temple will offer 11 quintals of malpua and one quintal of panjiri as bhog. Prasad distribution for devotees is scheduled from 5 pm on September 5.

101-Litre Milk Abhishek at Radha Krishna Temple

At the Radha Krishna Temple in Samta Colony, a special abhishek of Lord Krishna was performed with 101 litres of milkin the morning. The temple and deity have been given special decorations by craftsmen from Kolkata.

Tableau darshan began at 9 am, while devotional programmes and bhajans are scheduled for the evening. The midnight birth ceremony will be followed by a maha aarti.

Three-Day Festival at ISKCON Raipur

ISKCON Raipur at Tatibandh is hosting a multi-day Janmashtami celebration, with programmes including devotional dance, competitions, Krishna's childhood pastimes, bhajan-kirtan, pushpanjali and Kathak performances.

The celebrations include a maha abhishek at 9 pm, followed by the offering of Chhappan Bhog around midnight. A maha aarti is scheduled at 12:15 am. ISKCON's published programme also places Krishna Janmashtami on September 4, with the surrounding celebrations extending to September 5. 

Krishna's Birth to Be Staged at City Kotwali

A distinctive celebration will take place at the City Kotwali police station, where artists dressed as Vasudev, Devaki and prison guards will enact the birth of Lord Krishna.

At midnight, the lights at the police station will reportedly be switched off briefly to recreate the prison scene associated with Krishna's birth. The enactment will show Vasudev carrying the infant Krishna in a basket on his head before taking the deity from the recreated prison to Gopal Mandir in Sadar Bazaar amid devotional chants.

Four-Day Celebration at Dudhadhari Math

Dudhadhari Math and associated temples will continue Janmashtami celebrations until September 7. Bhajan-kirtan programmes began in the morning, while the main birth ceremony and aarti are scheduled around midnight.

The celebrations will conclude on September 7, observed as Ekadashi, with a final programme at midnight.

156-Year-Old Banke Bihari Temple Prepares

The Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Petha Line, Nayapara, is also observing Janmashtami with special rituals. Milk abhishek is scheduled from 8 am to 10 am, followed by shringar darshan at 11:30 am.

Bhajan programmes will continue during the afternoon and evening, with the Krishna birth celebration planned shortly after midnight, at 12:01 am, followed by aarti. The temple is said to be around 156 years old.

Giriraj Temple and Gopal Mandir Plan Special Programmes

At the Giriraj Temple in Boodhapara, worship arrangements include materials brought from the four major pilgrimage centres of Badrinath, Jagannath Puri, Rameswaram and Dwarka. Preparations for the festival reportedly began about a month in advance.

At Gopal Mandir in Sadar Bazaar, the Krishna birth ceremony will be held at midnight on September 4. On September 5, the temple will observe Nand Mahotsav, during which the deity will be placed in a cradle and devotees will celebrate the occasion through bhajans.

In Raigarh, the Shyam Temple and Gauri Shankar Temple have also planned midnight Krishna birth celebrations. Decorative tableaux will remain on display for two days, with devotees expected to visit from surrounding rural areas. Community feasts are scheduled at several places the following day.

Madhya Pradesh is set to mark Krishna Janmashtami with a state-wide cultural programme on Friday, September 4, with events planned at 111 locations across 55 districts. The celebrations, being organised under the ‘Shri Krishna Parv’ initiative of the Shri Krishna Pathey Nyas under the Culture Department, will combine devotional programmes with dance, theatre, classical performances and regional folk traditions.

The initiative is being held under the theme ‘Ghar-Ghar Gokul, Ghar-Ghar Gopal’. According to the organisers, more than 7,500 Krishna temples across the state will receive special decorations, while over 1,500 local artists are expected to participate in performances depicting episodes from Krishna’s life, devotional traditions and philosophical teachings.

101 Children to Dress as Radha-Krishna

A special Janmashtami programme has been planned at the Chief Minister’s residence in Bhopal, where more than 101 children will participate dressed as Radha and Krishna.

A matki-phod programme will also be organised during the celebrations. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is scheduled to distribute makhan-mishri, Laddu Gopal idols and books based on Krishna’s childhood stories to the participating children.

Following the programme, Yadav is scheduled to perform the bhoomi pujan of Parshuram-Shri Krishna Lok at Janapav in Mhow. A dance-drama based on the traditional account of Lord Parshuram presenting the Sudarshan Chakra to Krishna is also planned, along with an exhibition featuring episodes associated with Krishna and Parshuram.

Bhopal ISKCON Prepares for Large Gathering

In Bhopal, the ISKCON temple at Patel Nagar, Hare Krishna Land on Raisen Road, is preparing for its Janmashtami celebrations.

Organisers expect a large turnout of devotees during the event. The temple is being decorated around a traditional Jaisalmer-inspired theme, with special flowers, including orchids brought from Thailand, planned for the decorations.

The programme will feature continuous chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, Krishna Katha and the devotional theatrical presentation ‘Rukmini Kalyanam’. Special darshan and shringar of Shri Shri Gaur Radha Vallabh Ji are also planned.

Other ISKCON centres in Patel Nagar, Barkheda and Bairagarh are also scheduled to hold Janmashtami programmes.

Ujjain to Host Krishna-Themed Cultural Events

Ujjain will be among the key centres of the state-wide celebrations. At Narayana Dham, a five-day cultural programme is being held from September 2 to 6.

Performances will portray episodes including Krishna and Sudama’s friendship, Krishna’s time at Guru Sandipani’s ashram, the makhan chori episodes, his birth and childhood activities, and the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

The programme will use multiple artistic forms, including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, bhajans and Raslila.

At Sandipani Ashram, programmes being held from September 2 to 4 will focus on the guru-shishya tradition and the traditional account of Krishna receiving education from Maharishi Sandipani.

Panna, Dhar and Mahidpur Plan Special Performances

In Panna, the Shri Baldevji Temple will host dance-drama and devotional singing based on Krishna and Baldev. At the Shri Jugal Kishore Temple, performances will focus on Krishna, devotional music and the Pranami tradition.

Dhar’s Amjhera will host Krishna Leela and performances based on the Rukmini Swayamvar and marriage episodes on September 3 and 4.

In Mahidpur, programmes will explore themes associated with Radha-Krishna devotion, Bundeli folk music and Krishna’s birth.

Several other locations, including Pali, Shahdol, Mandla, Damoh, Rewa and Khategaon, will host programmes based on episodes such as Govardhan Dharan, Sudama Milan and Kaliya Nag Mardan.

Local Artists to Get Statewide Platform

A major component of the Shri Krishna Parv is the participation of local artists from different parts of Madhya Pradesh.

Artists from districts including Khargone, Barwani, Khandwa, Rajgarh, Betul, Sehore, Bhopal, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Ujjain, Neemuch, Raisen, Sagar, Satna, Rewa, Singrauli, Sidhi, Katni, Chhindwara, Dhar, Dewas, Narsinghpur, Umaria, Balaghat, Shahdol, Anuppur, Mandla, Dindori, Burhanpur, Niwari and Tikamgarh are among those scheduled to perform.

The performances are designed to combine Krishna-related narratives with the folk and cultural traditions of different regions.

Government Links Krishna With MP’s Cultural Heritage

Culture, Tourism and Religious Trusts and Endowments Minister Dharmendra Singh Lodhi said Krishna represents Indian philosophy, culture and human values. He also highlighted Madhya Pradesh’s historical and cultural links with Krishna.

According to the organisers, the expanded programme is intended to connect younger generations with Krishna-related traditions while giving wider visibility to the state’s local artistic practices.

Shri Krishna Pathey Nyas Chief Executive Officer Shriram Tiwari said the number of venues has been increased this year. Historical and religious locations including Sandipani Ashram, Narayana Dham, Amjhera, Janapav and Jamgarh have been incorporated alongside religious centres across different regions.

Bhopal Temples Prepare for Late-Night Celebrations

Several Bhopal temples are also expected to remain active through the night following the birth celebrations.

The Gopal Temple in Teela Jamalpura is scheduled to hold Laddu Gopal abhishek followed by special shringar darshan and bhajans. Banke Bihari Temple on Marwari Road has programmes planned until around 1 am.

Birla Mandir, Karuna Dham, Shri Ji Temple at Chowk and the Ahir Samaj Temple in Barkheda are also expected to attract devotees for darshan around the Janmashtami celebrations.

With programmes spread across the state, Madhya Pradesh’s Janmashtami observance this year combines temple celebrations with a broader cultural calendar aimed at showcasing Krishna traditions alongside the state’s regional performing arts.