Krishna Janmashtami

Indian Hindu devotees throughout the world celebrate Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Hindu God Lord Krishna with enormous zeal and enthusiasm. Children and adults dress as the Hindu God Krishna and his consort Radha in bright, elaborate costumes and jewelry. Human pyramids form to break the 'dahi-handi' or curd pot. The large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey and fruits and is suspended from a height of 20 - 40 feet. Participants come forward to claim this prize by constructing a human pyramid, enabling the uppermost person to reach the pot and claim its contents. -- Paula Nelson (27 photos total)

An Indian schoolboy is dressed as the Hindu God Krishna. (Rajesh Kumar Singh/Associated Press) 

 

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Indian youth make a human pyramid to reach and break the ‘Dahi Handi,’ an earthen pot filled with yogurt, as they celebrate Janamashtami, the birth anniversary of Hindu God Krishna in Mumbai, India, August 22. (Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press) #

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People watch Janmashtami celebrations from a commercial building in Mumbai. Janmashtami, which marks the birthday of Hindu god Krishna, is celebrated across the country on August 22. (Danish Siddiqui/Reuters) #

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Indian Hindu devotees form a human pyramid to break the 'dahi-handi' (curd-pot), as part of celebrations of 'Janmashtami' which marks the birth of Hindu God Lord Krishna. Scores of Hindu devotees of Lord Krishna take part in the dahi-handi celebration, where a large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey and fruits and suspended from a height of between 6 to 12 metres (20 to 40 feet). Participants then come forward to claim this prize by constructing a human pyramid until the pyramid is tall enough so that the topmost person is able to reach the pot and claim the contents after breaking it. (Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Indian youth make a human pyramid to break the "Dahi Handi." (Rafiq Maqbool/Associated Press) #

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A girl puts a 'Tilak,' a religious symbol, on a woman's forehead at the Janmashtami Hindu Festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford, England. Up to 72,000 were expected to take part in the two day festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, in what is believed to be the largest Hindu festival gathering outside of India. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) #

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Devotees pray inside a temple at the Janmashtami Hindu Festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford, England. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) #

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A girl dressed as Krishna poses at the Janmashtami Hindu Festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) #

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Spectators watch as Indian Hindu devotees form a human pyramid to break the 'dahi-handi.' Scores of Hindu devotees of Lord Krishna take part in the dahi-handi celebration, where a large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey and fruits and suspended from a height of between 6 to 12 metres (20 to 40 feet). (Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A woman walks inside the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, during an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna. (Facundo Arrizabalaga/AFP/Getty Images) #

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An Indian woman and her son watch as members of an Indian band take a break during a religious procession ahead of Janamashtami, in Amritsar, India. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press) #

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Indian children dressed as Hindu God Krishna and consort Radha pose during a fancy dress competition held as part of Krishna Janmashtami celebrations at ISKCON Temple in Bangalore, August 21. (Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images) #

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A child dressed as Hindu God Krishna kisses another dressed as Krishna's consort Radha during a fancy dress competition held as part of Krishna Janmashtami celebrations at ISKCON Temple in Bangalore. (Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Devotees stand in a line to offer prayers during a Janmashtami festival at a Hindu god Krishna temple in Katmandu, Nepal, August 21. (Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press) #

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A man helps a child dressed as Hindu god Krishna fix his crown at a procession during Janmashtami festival in Katmandu, Nepal, August 21. (Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press) #

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A girl wearing face paint at the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, August 21, during an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna.(Facundo Arrizabalaga/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Pigeons fly as Hindu devotees stand in a line in front of Hindu god Krishna Temple during Janmashtami festival in Katmandu, Nepal, August 21. (Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press) #

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A Nepalese man offers prayers to Hindu God Krishna during the birthday celebrations 'Krishna Janmasthami' in Lalitpur on the outskirts of Kathmandu August 21. Nepalese Hindus from across the country celebrate the birthday of Lord Krishna with traditional dances, worship and merry-making. Krishna is one of the most popular and adored Hindu deities of Nepal and is considered the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the protector of humans from evil and injustice. (Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images) #

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An Indian Hindu man dressed as Hindu god Shiva proceeds to a religious procession to celebrate the birth of Hindu god Krishna. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press) #

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An Indian Hindu man dressed as Hindu god Krishna looks readies himself before participating in a religious procession ahead of Janamashtami, in Amritsar, India. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press) #

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A young Indian Hindu boy, dressed as Hindu god Krishna, talks to a volunteer before participating in a religious procession. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press) #

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Indian school children, dressed as Hindu god Krishna and his consort Radha, rest inside a classroom after a performance to celebrate Janamashtami. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press) #

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A street vendor sells portraits of Lord Krishna near the Krishna Temple during the Krishna Janmashtami festival in Lalitpur. (Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters) #

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A child is dressed as Lord Krishna near the Krishna Temple during the Janmashtami festival in Lalitpur.(Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters) #

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Indian school children, dressed as Hindu god Krishna and his consort Radha, rest inside a classroom after a performance to celebrate Janamashtami, in Amritsar, India. (Altaf Qadri/Associated Press) #

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A school girl dressed as Hindu Lord Krishna dances with others dressed as his consort Radha during the celebrations of Janamashtmi festival inside their school in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh. (Ajay Verma/Reuters) #

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A girl holds a peacock feather during the Krishna Janmashtami festival in Lalitpur near Kathmandu. (Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters) #