Pushkarani at Krishna Temple in Hampi, Karnataka

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A sacred water tank in Hampi. Krishna Janmashtami

Today, we are visiting one of the sacred water tanks, also called pushkaranis, in Hampi, Karnataka. Pushkaranis are sacred tanks attached to temples. They cater to the ritual and functional aspects of the temple and the life surrounding it. Built in the typical Vijayanagara style of architecture, most of these water tanks have beautiful rows of pillars and decorative arcades surrounding them. The one you are seeing on our homepage is near the Krishna Temple. The water tank is known for its structural beauty and is a major tourist attraction in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi.

It's Krishna Janmashtami today – a major Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna. According to Hindu mythology, Krishna was the eighth avatar (human incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. The occasion has a great significance in Mathura and Vrindavan, the places where Lord Krishna spent his childhood and early youth. On this day, devotees observe fasts and pray to Lord Krishna to protect them from evil and bless them with good fortune and health. As he was born at midnight, an idol of an infant Krishna is bathed in water and milk, dressed in new clothes, and worshipped. The festival is also a time for group singing and dancing.