Preparations have started for the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. According to the Hindu calendar, Shri Krishna was born on Ashtami Tithi in Rohini Nakshatra of Bhadra month. Krishna was born to end sin and destroy falsehood and unrighteousness.

Devotees worship the child form of Shri Krishna on the occasion of Janmashtami. During this, special festivals are organized in Krishna temples. Bal Gopal is born and bhajan kirtan is performed. Most of the temples close at night and the deity rests, but since Laddu Gopal was born in the middle of the night, worship takes place in the temples at midnight on the occasion of Janmashtami.

Mathura, Gokul, and Vrindavan are the first places that come to mind when Shri Krishna's name comes up. Shri Krishna's childhood was spent here. Later he became the king of Dwarka in Gujarat. There are ancient and famous temples of Shri Krishna at these places. However, in South India there are very huge and ancient temples of Lord Krishna. If you are visiting South India during Janmashtami then you can visit these Krishna temples.

Guruvayoor Temple, Kerala
Dwarka is in Gujarat but the Guruvayoor Temple, popularly known as the Dwarka Temple of South India, is in Kerala. It is one of the most famous temples in South India. This temple is also known as Bhuloka Baikunth. According to Hindu beliefs, Bhuloka Baikunth is the holiest place of Lord Vishnu on earth. Here Lord Krishna is in the form of a child called Guruvayuruppan.

It is believed that when there was a flood in Gujarat's Dwarka, the idol of Krishna was washed away in the flood, when Guru Brihaspati saw it, he took the idol out of the flood and started looking for a place to restore it. Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati asked him to install the idol in Kerala. On this Brihaspati Dev with the help of Vayu Dev established the idol of Krishna in Kerala. For this reason, this temple came to be known as Guru (Jupiter God) and Vayur (Air God).

Parthasarathy Temple Triplicane, Chennai
The city of Chennai also has a famous temple of Lord Krishna, named Parthasarathy Temple. This temple is situated in Triplicane. Four incarnations of Lord Vishnu are worshiped in this temple, Krishna, Rama, Narasimha, and Lord Varaha. The history of the temple is centuries old and its architecture is amazing.

Jagannath Puri, Orissa
One of the Char Dhams of India is in Puri in the state of Odisha. In the Jagannath Puri temple, Lord Krishna is enshrined with his elder brother Balarama and sister Subhadra. It is believed that after Dwapar, Lord Krishna started residing in Puri. Every year Rath Yatra is taken out from Jagannath Puri, which is famous all over the world.

Sri Krishna Matha Temple Udupi, Karnataka
There is Shri Krishna Math in South India. There is a famous temple of Lord Krishna in Karnataka. Lord Krishna is worshiped through the nine holes in the window at the Sri Krishna Matha temple in Udupi, Karnataka. The reflection of the temple is visible in the water of the pond located near this temple made of wood and stone. A grand festival is organized here on the occasion of Janmashtami and people from nearby cities come to visit and offer prayers.

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