KRISHNA JAYANTHI / GOKULASHTAMI

Krishna jayanthi is an annual celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.

In Tamil Nadu, the people decorate the floor with kolams.   Geetha Govindam and other such devotional songs are sung in praise of Lord Krishna. They draw the footprints of Lord Krishna from outside to inside the pooja room of the house. , which depicts the arrival of Lord Krishna into the house.

 A recitation of Bhagwadgita is also a popular practise. Sweets like thirattu pal, Vella aval, Aval payasam, Sweet Seedai,  Appam,  Seeyam, Pottukadalai maavu urundai, Ladoo and  savories like Butter Murukku , Kai Murukku, kola urundai, Tenkuzhal, Thattai,  Seedai,  Sukku Vellam, Ulundhu Vadai etc along with Fruits ,Betel leaf, Betel nut,  Milk, Unmelted Butter, Rock Sugar and Curd are offered to lord krishna.  

If possible we can prepare Chappan Bhog ( 56 dishes)   . 

     Significance of preparing 56 dishes is related to a small cute story of Krishna.  Krishna lifted Govardhan Parvadh ( hill ) for 7 days to protect Vrindhavan people from flood and rain.  On these 7 days he didn't eat anything.  Usually Krishna eats 8 times a day.   When rain stopped after 7 days, people came back to normal life.  People of Vrindhavan offered 56 types ( 8 * 7 ) of food to Krishna to show their gratitude and love and affection.    In Puri Jagannath temple , they offer Chappan Bhog daily to lord Jagannath.   In most of the North Indian temples, they offfer Chappan Bhog to Sri Krishna during Janmashtami / Gokulashtami.   In Chappan Bhog we can include rice, puri, Pakwan etc along with sweets, snacks, pickle, papad, pakoda, chutney ,fruits, drinks etc. 

All the sweets and snacks in which milk and milk products used should be from Cow's milk only .  

They also dress the youngest of male child in their family alike Lord Krishna.

In temples , Krishna will be dressed up nicely ….

Lets say, Happy Birthday Dear Krishna ...

Lets see some of  the Krishna Jayanthi Sweets and Savories.... 

 For many Savories, we need Rice flour and black gram( urad dal ) flour.  So it is better to prepare sufficient quantity of rice flour and Urad dal flour .  

Use 1 or 2 kgs of Rice for preparing Rice flour.   You can grind it in Flour Mill instead of grinding in mixie.  

 Use a cup of Urad dal for making flour.  You can prepare this easily at home. 

*  For Rice Flour :  Wash & soak ( Maavu arisi / Patni chawal / Ambemohar rice ) rice for 1 hr.  Drain & dry by spreading in a cloth .  Powder in the mixie  or Flour Mill .  Before using , sieve fine.  

**  Urad dal flour : Lightly dry roast urad dhal & powder it .  Sieve to get fine Urad dhal  powder.

Sweets :

Thiratupaal / Milk Khoa / Paal Khoa

Aval / Poha / Flattened rice Payasam

Appam

Sweet Seedai / Vella Seedai

Aval Puttu / Flattened rice Puttu




     

              Vella Aval    

                Sukku Vellam

    Kanika ( Sweet rice )

Varuni ( Milk based drink )

 

    Mathura Peda

Savories :

Thattai

Uppu Seedai

Kai Murukku

Butter Murukku

 

  Kola Urundai    

Other dishes

 

  Karmabai Kichadi

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