Gokulashtami

This festival comes in Shravana Krishna paksha . Lord Krishna was born to rid the world of the asuras who had become powerful and were troubling the sages and the devout.

On this day Lord Krishna is worshiped in the late evening. Fasting is observed for the full day. Some people make clay models of the Lord and Balarama lying in cradles .Many others keep a crawling idol of the Lord in a cradle. The cradle maybe of any metal. Silver, brass, any.

As Lord Krishna is worshiped as a child, a lot of savouries and sweets are offered as neividya. Fruits, milk, butter with a piece of sugar on it and poha, along with sweets and savouries is offered.The jamoon or jambul fruit should be a special addition on this day.

The puja is done as usual with haldi, kumkum,, gandha, flowers and tulasi. Those who hav a saligrama can do a full saligrama puja . After the puja is done argya is offered to Lord Krishna by all members of the family After Lord Krishna is worshiped, Balarama is to be worshiped. .The following mantra is said for the puja

Yagnaaya Yagnapathaye

Yagneshwaraaya Yagnasambavaaya

Sri Govindaaya Namonamaha

Krishnasthami day is spent in fasting. Some take palahara after the puja. The very devout eat only on the day after the puja.

In most houses a number of sweet and savoury items like chakli, thengul, seedai, barfi etc. are prepared and eaten by everyone especially children.
Gokulashtami is a festival when little children in the house are dressed as Lord Krishna.
Tiny little feet of a toddler Krishna are drawn from the entrance of the house leading to the puja room.
The front of the house is decorated with rangoli and mango leaves thoran.
Bhajans and songs of Krishna are sung while awaiting the puja hour, which is by far late at night.
Besides fruits, a dish made of poha, kheer, butter and some snacks are a must for neividya. Even if not possible to make snacks, poha, butter and kheer is made. Some neividya items made this day are besan laadu, rava laadu, coconut burfi, and doodh peda or sweet khoa is definitely made. Thengul, chakli, sakkarpara , sweet and khara seedai are also prepared.
Recipes for some of these preperations follows.