MATHURA, India — Millions of Hindus began preparations on Monday for Krishna Janmashtami, the festival marking the birth of Lord Krishna, with temples across northern India and the global diaspora arranging midnight prayers and devotional programmes. The main observances centre on Mathura and Vrindavan, believed to be Krishna's birthplace and childhood home.

The festival commemorates Krishna's birth at midnight, and devotees traditionally fast through the day before breaking it after prayers. At the Sri Krishna Janmasthan Temple in Mathura, temple authorities said they expected large crowds for the abhishekam ceremonies, and arranged special decorations, bhajans and enactments of Krishna's life.

In Maharashtra, community groups prepared for dahi handi, the popular tradition in which teams form human pyramids to break pots of curd suspended high above the streets. Organisers in Mumbai and Thane confirmed events would follow, drawing thousands of participants known as govindas.

Similar celebrations were planned at ISKCON temples in cities including Delhi, Bengaluru and Vrindavan. Authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra deployed additional police and traffic arrangements to manage crowds at major temples and dahi handi venues. Temple trust officials said they had coordinated with local police to ensure safety at the largest gatherings.

Janmashtami is also widely observed by the Hindu diaspora in the United Kingdom, United States and Gulf states, where temples scheduled kirtans, fasting and midnight aarti to mark the occasion.