Nandotsava

Nandotsava is a festival celebrated the day after Janmashtami, commemorating the joy and celebrations of foster-father Nanda Maharaja. Overwhelmed with jubilation over the birth of his son, Nanda Maharaja hosted a grand ceremony, welcoming all the villagers of Braj (Vrindavan) to congratulate him and Mata Yashoda and take darshan of little Krishna.

It is an auspicious start for the rest of the year, and we encourage devotees reading this to kindly consider donating on this day.

Scriptural Description of the Celebrations

The tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam gives a vivid and beautiful description of how Vrajapura celebrated Lord Krishna's birth:

1. Sweeping & Decorating: Vrajapura, the residence of Nanda Maharaja, was fully decorated with festoons, flags, and gates made of mango leaves and flower garlands. The courtyards, roads, and inner rooms were swept clean and washed with water.

2. Decorating the Animals: The cows, bulls, and calves were thoroughly smeared with turmeric, oil, and mineral powders. Their heads were bedecked with peacock feathers, and they were covered with cloth and golden ornaments.

3. Dress of the Cowherd Men: The cowherd men dressed opulently with valuable garments, coats, and turbans. Carrying presentations in their hands, they approached the house of Nanda Maharaja.

4. The Joy of the Gopis: The gopi wives of the cowherd men decorated themselves with saffron and kunkuma, jeweled earrings, metal lockets, and bangles. As they hurried along, flowers fell from their hair onto the streets. They sprinkled a mixture of turmeric powder, oil, and water upon the birthless Supreme Lord and offered blessings.

"In gladness, the cowherd men enjoyed the great festival by splashing one another's bodies with a mixture of curd, condensed milk, butter, and water. They threw butter on one another and smeared it on one another's bodies."

5. Nanda Maharaja's Charity: To please Lord Vishnu and ensure the welfare of his son, Nanda Maharaja gave away clothing, ornaments, and two million decorated cows in charity to the brahmanas, along with seven hills of grain covered with jewels and gold-embroidered cloth.

Key Aspects of Nandotsava

• Swings and Cradles: Images or idols of baby Krishna (Ladu Gopal) are placed in beautifully decorated swings and cradles. Devotees take turns gently swinging the cradle, experiencing the mood of parenting the Supreme Lord.
• Devotional Singing and Dancing: The festival is filled with constant kirtans and sweet baby-pastime bhajans.
• Scriptural Readings: Devotees hold readings and lectures from Srila Prabhupada's Srimad Bhagavatam and Krsna Book.