This festival is celebrated for the victory of good over evil and on this day there was an end on the evil doings.

This festival is celebrated on two days, once on the actual day of his birth in prison at Mathura, and then on the very next day on his being discovered in the house of Nand and Yashoda at Gokul

Incidents of his childhood are depicted through cribs and other decoration made in homes and temples. Such items display his childhood antics and sober moments, and can be arranged with dolls dressed up as kids, men and women, with lehangas, chunnis, dhotis and kurtas. 

The flute of Krishna can be made out of reed. Radha, his childhood sweetheart, or the Gopis going for water to the river or carrying butter and milk in small earthen pots, one on top of another, can be depicted. Raas leeas of every type are arranged. Vishnu and Shiv (with the river Ganga flowing from his head) also present an attractive feature. The layout looks very nice with freshly mowed green grass spread out, and pathways created in the midst, with red decoration, as the whole family is occupied for the entire days. Little children get very much involved in cutting the grass, bringing the mud, gravel, leaves and plants, and watch, bright-eyed, as elders dress up the dolls with zari, gota and other shining material.

Most families keep a fast on this day, but one meal is allowed. This is known as phalar, and consists ajan singing has been arranged.of fruit, mithai, curd, kuttu singhare-ki-puri or pakori. this phalar is takenin the afternoon (around 2-3 p.m.). Tea and coffee are not forbidden, and can be taken at any time of the day. 

 In the afternoon the prasad is prepared for distribution in the evening. This prasad consists of the same eatables that a new mother used to be given after childbirth, and is still given in traditional homes. This is known as paggi-hui-meva. Fruit like banana, guava and apple, cut into pieces or slices, can be added to  prasad. 

According to Hindu Mythology, Naradmuni, had told Kans, the cruel king of Mathura and maternal uncle of Krishna, that he would be killed by the eighth child of his favourite cousin (sister) Deviki, who had just got married to Vsudev Kans vowed to kill the eighth child as soon as it born, but Narad wanted the god child to come soon. 

It is said that a nursing mother does not conceive, and if Deviki nursed each child for a number of months, the eighth one would take long to come. Narad took a lotus with eight petals and began counting from one of the petals, one by one to the last, and then counted from the next petal and ended at the one that he had taken as number one previously, thereby telling Kans that in certain situations, one does not know which one is the first and which one is the last. Consequently, Kans was full of anger and decided to kill all the children born to Deviki. He locked up Vasudev and Deviki in the palace prison.

So it came about that Deviki gave birth to a child every year, and Kans came to the prison and killed each one. This happened seven times, but when the eighth was born, a miracle happened. All the guards went to sleep, the doors of the prison flew open, and the shackles of the Vasudav and Deviki burst open. The child was a beautiful boy beyond compare, and had dark complexion. There was a voice from the sky (akashvani): 

"Take this child O Vasudev, to your friend's house at Gokul - Nand and Yashoda. They  have had a little girl just born to them, bring her here in place of this little boy, they will not know about the exchange. Go now, or else Kans will destroy this one, born to get rid of evil from this world."

Gokul, where Nand and Yashoda lived, was across the river Yamuna, which flowed near the city of Mathura. Vasudev found a chhaj in which he put little Krishna and took him to the banks of the great river Yamuna, which flowed near the city of Mathura. Vasudev found a chhaaj(reed contraption by which all foreign matter is removed from any lentil, rice,wheat,etc) in which put little Krishna and took him to the banks of the great river Yamuna.It being the rainy season, the river was in full spate, and it was still raining. On stepping into the river, poor Vasudev tried to save the baby from the rising river by holding him higher and higher. He was getting very frightened and anxious, but then he remembered the akashvami, which is the voice of angles, and he was reassured. Little Krishna knew of the dilemma facing his father, and quitely put one foot out and touched the water, and behold, the water after touching the foot of the Lord, started to subside and soon the river split up making a dry path for Vasudev to walk out upon. 

At Gokul, Vasudev entered the house of his friend Nand, who was asleep and so was his wife Yashoda, and so were all attedants. He saw a sweet baby near Yashoda and quickly exachanged the baby and carried away the little girl. Back at Mathura, he placed her beside his wife. Soon the shackles were back in place, the doors shut and the guards woke up. The attendants on seeing the baby, rushed up to their master Kans, to give him the news. Kans came in a great hurry, bacause it was the eight child. He picked up the baby and threw it against the wall, but the little girl flew up into the sky, and a voice was heard:' O, Kans ,your destroyer has already been born, and is elsewhere', and, along with laughter, the child suddenly turned into lighting and vanished. This little girl had come to be worshipped as Deviji ever since, taking various names like Durga, Tara, Ishani, and Manndakini. 

Janmasthami is celebrated with great pomp and show in temples and homes. Krishna is the one who has given us the life-ending message of the great Bhagavad Gita.

In the evening the first the family members gather together and sit down in the room where all the decoration has been done, and sing bhajans in praise of the god Lord Krishana. Children are greatly encouraged to bring their talent. Musical instruments like harmonium, tabla, khartal and cymbals are brought out to accompany the bhajans. 

Since Krishna was born at the stroke of midnight, the singing should commence with a view to end it at midnight. "Om Jai Jagdish Hare..." is sung on this night as arti.  Prasad and Charnamrit are then distributed to all the present. Now one can settle down to a heartly meal consisting of the usual vegetables, puris, chutneys, and achars - one can eat anything vegetarian during the night meal.