http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna_Janmashtami
The ritual includes fasting " the previous day (Saptami, seventh day), which is followed by a night-long vigil commemorating the birth of Krishna at midnight in the jail where his maternal uncle Kansa was keeping them captive, and his immediate removal by his father Vasudeva to a foster-home for safe-keeping.
At midnight, the idol of the infant Krishna is bathed, adorned in new clothes and jewellery, placed in a cradle and worshiped. The fast is completed after Aarti, a special prayer. At day break, ladies draw patterns of little children's footprints outside the house with rice-flour paste, walking towards the house. This symbolizes the entry of the infant Krishna into his foster-home i.e. their homes."
[1] The Vishnu Sahasranama[2] ... describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of—and beyond—the past, present and future, the creator and destroyer of all existences, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within.
In the Puranas, Vishnu is described as having the divine colour of water filled clouds, four-armed, holding a lotus, mace, conch and chakra (wheel). Vishnu is also described in the Bhagavad Gita as having a 'Universal Form' (Vishvarupa) which is beyond the ordinary limits of human perception.[3]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu
World faiths have for centuries celebrated key events or aspects of their religious tradition. Such celebrations have been an opportunity to re-enact and re-live encounters with and experiences of the Divine. These significant moments, celebrated each so differently, all converge in their shared belief in something both within and transcendent of this world.
Rosh Hashanah, Easter, Eid al-Fitr, Dipavali, Vesakh, Vaisakhi and numerous other significant celebrations mark this calendar. Their respective meanings, their purpose for being on the calendar, vary widely. However, a common thread is that love, faith, compassion, atonement, forgiveness, thankfulness, leadership, protection, generosity, indeed a sense of the Divine, infuse these celebrations and bring them to life in the spirit of community.
Whatever your faith, tradition, customs, language and heritage, celebrations are a defining part of our Australian identity and history. May yours bring you a sense of peace and hope in the coming year!
George Lekakis
Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission.
* Jewish holidays typically begin at sunset on the evening before the indicated day.
** Local customs and tradition differences may vary this date.
For further information about religious affiliation in Victoria, please see the 2001–2006 census data, which is available at http://www.multicultural.vic.gov.au
