Devotees throng Krishna Temple in Nepal on occasion of Janmashtami

By Binod Prasad Adhikari
Kathmandu [Nepal], September 6 : Devotees thronged the ancient Krishna Temple in Nepal on Wednesday on the birth anniversary of the 8th reincarnated form of Lord Vishnu celebrated as the festival of Janmashtami.
The 17th Century temple that lies within the premises of the former Royal Palace now a UNESCO World Heritage- Patan Durbar Square is thronged by thousands of devotees annually.
Lord Krishna revered as a manifestation of Lord Vishnu also taught warrior Arjuna value of Karma in Bhagwad Gita.
Known for his charm and fascinating nature devotees claimed they came up to the temple following the footsteps and directives of Lord Krishna.
“On Krishna Janmashtami, fasting is observed and we only eat the steamed corn, perform rituals and light the lamp for days. We have devoted our life to Lord Krishna,” Devi Kumari KC, a devotee told ANI.
Krishna Janmashtami is a festival commemorating the birth of Krishna, considered the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu draws thousands of devotees from Kathmandu valley to one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites which once used to house kings before the unification of Nepal.
It was opened after renovation in 2018 as it sustained minor damages due to the devastating earthquake of 2015 which claimed the lives of thousands of people and caused massive structural damage to the heritage sites of the Himalayan Nation.
“Crowd of people always has remained consistent, it never has gone down as per my observation. Volunteers like me have been arranging the people and making them stand in line for the managed passage which has not disrupted the traffic in the city as well. People are able to worship god standing in line without any hurdles,” Dhana Laxmi Shakya, a local resident and volunteer told ANI.
The Krishna Mandir- a 21 gajur (pinnacle) Shikhara Style temple in Patan was built in 1667 during the reign of King Siddhi Narasimha Malla and is one of the most revered Krishna temples in Nepal.