TV Celebs Share Their Fondest Janmashtami Memories

School children, dressed in costume, wait to perform in a play ahead of Jamashthami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. (Prakash Singh/AFP via Getty Images)

By R.M. VIJAYAKAR/Special to India-West

MUMBAI — Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Lord Krishna, who is lovingly known as Kanha, will be celebrated Aug. 30 this year. Looking back at their childhood days, TV stars share some of their fondest memories related to the festival.

Sagar Parekh

“I remember when I was 10 years old, my mom used to dress me up like Lord Krishna. She used to recite lines from the Bhagawad Gita. All the children used come together, climb up and break Dahi Handi. I even had a hairline fracture due to it.”

Parull Chaudhry

“My Janmashtami memories are of my childhood days. There used to be decorative ‘jhankis’ (tableaux) outside everyone’s home in Delhi, and in the evenings we would go for a long walk along with neighbors, friends and family to take a round of the entire neighborhood and take “Prasad” from everyone who had these beautiful “jhankis” made with such effort and love. As far as Dahi Handi goes, I have seen the madness here in Mumbai. I have witnessed some real difficult ones, which are tied at a great height and take expertise and team effort to break. The music and energy around gives the participants so much incentive, however, I feel it isn’t safe.”

Harjinder Singh

“Janmashtami is a celebration of birth of lord Krishna. I’ve seen one or two Dahi Handis. The good thing about Janmashtami is that bhajans and kirtans are sung in temples, and that adds to the positivity.”

Avinash Mukherjee

“I have been raised in Mumbai, so I have seen Janmashtami’s Dahi Handi celebration quite often. The festive feeling is always good. Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city where all festivals are celebrated. That is the beauty of living in Mumbai.”

Sharad Malhotra

“In Kolkata, my home-town, Janmashtami is celebrated in a big way. I feel very nice when I hear Lord Krishna bhajans, and the vibes of Janmashtami are very good.”

Nivedita Basu

“Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city and we get to celebrate all the festivals, and Janmashtami is one of them. Even in television shows, we incorporate Janmashtami sequences, and Lord Krishna is the savior to many of our protagonists in times of need. These sequences are mostly well received by the audience.”

Amit Sarin

“Janmasthmi is always amazing. The Dahi Handi songs in films and TV shows always look good. Lord Krishna has a special place in our hearts as well as in TV and films. I enjoy all festivals. In school, it used to be fun as one used to get to do a lot of masti with friends. I used to relish nariyal (coconut) laddoo in abundance.”

Sneh Binny

“Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve attended a Janmashtami ceremony. It was when I was in a boarding school. In fact, I was part of the human pyramid back then. It’s a fun festival.”