Radha Ashtami

The appearance day of Shri Radha Rani, the beloved of Shri Krishna, celebrated fifteen days after Janmashtami with special splendour in Barsana.

Radha Ashtami celebrates the appearance of Shri Radha Rani. In the Vaishnava tradition Shri Radha is revered as the hladini shakti of Bhagavan Shri Krishna, the very embodiment of His joy and love. According to the popular tradition she was the daughter of King Vrishabhanu and Mother Kirti, and she spent her childhood in Barsana. In Braj it is said that devotion to Krishna is incomplete without the name of Radha, which is why people there greet one another with "Radhe Radhe". Her selfless love, which seeks only the happiness of the Beloved and never her own, is held up as the highest ideal of bhakti.

The festival falls on Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami, exactly fifteen days after Janmashtami, and usually comes in late August or September. Tradition holds that Shri Radha appeared at midday, so the main abhishek and aarti are generally performed around noon.

The heart of the celebration is the Shriji temple, also called the Ladli Ji temple, on the Bhanugarh hill in Barsana. From before dawn thousands of devotees climb its long flight of steps for darshan. Shri Radha is bathed with milk, curd, ghee, honey and water, adorned with new garments and flowers, and offered chappan bhog, a feast of fifty-six dishes. The Radhavallabh, Radharaman and other temples of Vrindavan, and ISKCON centres around the world, also hold kirtan, katha and festivities.

Many devotees fast until the midday aarti and then accept prasad. In homes the divine couple, Radha and Krishna, are worshipped together. The day is a gentle reminder that the simplest path to the Lord is pure and surrendered love.

Tithi

Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami

Month

August–September

Places

Barsana, Vrindavan, Mathura