Janmashtami is celebrated in various parts of India to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. He is considered to be the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe.

It is celebrated with great fervour at Mathura and Brindavan where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. Night long prayers are offered and religious hymns are sung in temples. Scenes are enacted from Lord Krishna’s early life. Raslila is performed to recreate incidents from the life of Krishna and to commemorate his love for Radha.

As a child, Krishna was incorrigibly mischievous. He had a weakness for butter and often stole it.  As part of the festivities people take to the streets to break matkis tied at a height.

This is specially popular in Maharastra where during Janmastami the popular ceremony of Dahi-Handi takes place. During this ceremony a large earthenware pot is filled with milk, curds, butter, honey fruits etc. and is suspended from a height between 20 to 40 feet. Sporting young men and boys come forward to claim this prize. To do so they construct a human pyramid by standing over each other's shoulders till the pyramid is tall enough to enable the topmost person to reach the pot and claim the contents after breaking it. Normally, currency notes are tied to the rope by which the pot is suspended. This prize money is distributed among those who participate in the pyramid building. This ceremony replicates Krishna's love for milk and butter and favourite childhood prank of stealing butter from the pot>

Janmastami is celebrated over two days. This first day is Krishnastami or Gokulastami. The second day is called Kalastami or more popularly Janmastami.