Janmashtami at the Rajdhani Mandir in Chantilly

September 8, 2006

Source: Religion and Ethics Newsweekly

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1002/belief.html

On September 8, 2006 Religion and Ethics Newsweekly reported, "BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: Now Belief & Practice -- this week, the major Hindu festival Janmashtami celebrating the birth of the popular deity Krishna, and with a real baby. Nidhi Singh was our guide at a Hindu temple in Chantilly, Virginia. NIDHI SINGH (Rajdhani Mandir Temple, Chantilly, Virginia): In Hinduism, we believe in one God. However, our one God has several forms -- Brahma, who's the creator; Vishnu, who is the preserver; and Shiva, who's the destructor of all evil. Lord Krishna is a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. The teachings that Lord Krishna imparted in the Gita -- I can take from that and incorporate into my life and find hope, guidance, spirituality, peace, comfort, many different things. The devotees come here to participate and celebrate Lord Krishna's birth. When we celebrate Lord Krishna there's a lot of singing and dancing because that's what he used to do when he as younger. There's loud chanting and people are singing and getting very excited about the midnight hour, and we're getting ready to welcome Krishna."