Janmashtami

Today I visited the New Goloka Temple in Hillsborough, NC to photograph the Janmashtami celebration.

Sri Kirshna Janmashtami is the celebration of the day of the appearance of Lord Krishna, regarded as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by the followers of Hinduism. The inner significance of Janmashtami is to welcome the coming of Krishna in the hearts of he followers.

An estimated 3,000 people attended New Goloka Temple's today. New Goloka is an International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Temple. ISKCON followers are popularly known as "Hare Krishnas" because of the traditional Hare Krishna chant that they must do several times a day.

At midnight, everyone in attendance huddled inside the temple for the reveal of the newly-dressed Krishna. I took this picture soon after as devotees extended their hands toward the altar, jumping and crowding around it, in the hopes of receiving one of the foods that were offered to Krishna. Food that has been offered to Krishna is believed to be sacred, thus all of the followers wanted to eat of it.

"It is very powerful," said Rudrani Maclachlsn.