Guwahati: Besides India, Sri Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated in different countries in south and southeast Asian region with religious fervour, prayers, rituals, devotional songs and cultural functions and colourful processions. Janmashtami, observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadra (Bhada), commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, who is revered as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Krishna’s birth symbolises the triumph of truth and justice over evil, where his teachings in Bhagavad Gita are considered a guide for meaningful life to everyone. The major religious Hindu festival was organized on 4 September 2026 in neighbouring Bangladesh as the Muslim majority nation witnessed the celebrations in different parts of the country.
The central celebration took place at Dhakeshwari national temple in Dhaka, where the main attraction in addition to religious practices was a multicolored procession jointly organized by Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja and Dhakeshwari National Temple Committee. Bangladesh home minister Salahuddin Ahmed addressed the inaugural function of the procession, where the devotees in a large number participated with traditional dresses and showcasing items dedicated to various episodes of Lord Krishna and his vibrant life. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Bangladesh also organized the celebration with three-day programs. Other temples at Ramna Kali Mandir, Bordeshwari Kalimata Mandir, Mirpur Kendriya Mandir, etc in Dhaka locality also observed the sacred festival. It was also organized at Sherpur, Tangail, Bagerhat, Naogaon, Dinajpur, Magura, Sirajganj, Bogura, Satkhira, Nilphamari and other localities with religious prayers, processions, discussions and cultural events.
Chittagong Hill Tracts region in south Bangladesh also observed the Janmashtami festival where all three hill-districts namely Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban witnessed a series of programs to mark the auspicious occasion. Bangladesh Betar, Bangla Television and other satellite news channels also produced and played special programs on Janmashtami. Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman exchanged greetings with prominent members of the Hindu community on the occasion of Janmashtami in Dhaka. Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Rahman also distributed honorariums to a group of Hindu priests in the function. Organized jointly by the Bangladesh religious affairs ministry and Hindu Religious Welfare Trust, the event was graced by a number of Hindu religious leaders and eminent citizens.
Neighbouring Nepal, which faced a massive natural disaster losing over thousands of people, also observed the festival with limited programs. The devotees gathered at Kathmandu’s historic Krishna temple for practicing rituals. President Ramchandra Paudel extended Janmashtami greetings to the Nepali people stating that Krishna’s teachings on truth, justice and selfless action remain relevant in contemporary life across the globe. Another neighbour Myanmar also witnessed the celebration in some localities like Yangon and Arakan. Earlier, the secretariat of BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, a regional organization comprising seven nations in south and southeast Asia) also extended its warmest greetings to the people of the region on the auspicious occasion of Janmashtami.
Janmashtami celebrated in Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar
