Hindus celebrate Janmashtami by fasting, worshiping Krishna and staying up until midnight, and offer prayers at special time, when Krishna is believed to have been born. Images of Krishna's infancy are placed in swings and cradles in temples and homes. At midnight, devotees gather around for devotional songs, dance and exchange gifts.
Gokulashtami or Gokula Ashtami (Janmashtami or Sri Krishna Jayanti) celebrates the birthday of Lord Sri Krishna. Gokulashtami is celebrated with great fervor in South India. In Tamilnadu the people decorate the floor with kolams (decorative pattern drawn with rice batter). Geetha Govindam and other such devotional songs are sung in praise of Lord Krishna. Then they draw the footprints of Lord Krishna from the threshold of the house till the pooja room, which depicts the arrival of Lord Krishna into the house.
Andhra
Pradesh state Recitation of slokas and devotional songs are the characteristics
of this festival. Popular south Indian temples dedicated for Krishna are
Rajagopalaswami Temple in Mannargudi in the Thiruvarur district, Bala Krishna
temple at Udupi, Pandavadhoothar temple in Kanchivaram and Krishna temple at
Guruvayur are dedicated to the memory of Vishnu's incarnation as Sri Krishna.
