FT NEWS

One of the most loved festivals in India - Janmashtami, is around the corner. The day marks the birth of Lord Krishna, so Hindus across the world celebrate this day with a lot of love and devotion. This Janmashtami, &TV artists – Anuradha Agarwal (Archana Mittal) from Ghar Ek Mandir-Kripa Agrasen Maharaja Ki, Ramesh Prasad Mishra (Ambrish Bobby), Zafar Ali Mirza (Pawan Singh) and Sakina Mirza (Akansha Sharma) from Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai?, Manmohan Tiwari (Rohitashv Gour) from Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai and Happu Singh (Yogesh Tripathi) from Happu Ki Ultan Paltan are all excited to welcome Lord Krishna home and celebrate the festival with great fervour with their family.

Archana Mittal, who plays the role of Anuradha Agarwal in & TV's Ghar Ek Mandir-Kripa Agrasen Maharaja Ki, says, "My whole family celebrates Janmashtami with a lot of excitement and devotion. We all look forward to this festival with great enthusiasm. We decorate Baal Krishna's cradle with flowers, colourful fairy lights and ribbons. We also paint baby foot- prints on the floor which signifies Baal Krishna's steps. We all stay awake till midnight for the aarti and the special sweets made at home. I will miss doing that this year as I am shooting away in Jaipur, but I believe God is where devotion is. Wishing everyone a Happy Janmashtami." Ambrish Bobby as Ramesh Prasad Mishra in & TV's Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai? shares, "Janmashtami is a very special festival for my whole family. It is one of our family traditions that my grandmother started. We recreate Lord Krishna's birth scene, where we use glass pieces, fairy lights, ribbons, flowers, and colourful flags. The whole family gives its hundred per cent to make the best cradle for Baal Krishna. We also fast on that day, and at midnight we break our fast with Lord Krishna's prasad. Decorating the cradle is our family's tradition that I have also passed on to my children. This year we all are excited to bring home Baal Krishna and celebrate his birth."

Pawan Singh as Zafar Ali Mirza in &TV’s Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai? shares, "Janmashtami has been a very important part of my childhood. There is a temple in front of my house in Delhi with a huge ground where we celebrated Janmashtami. While the elders would stay busy decorating the cradle, we all children have a small internal competition on who will dress up as Krishna in the celebration. We had these huge trunks full of toys and decoration materials that we used every year. It was nothing less than a family treasure. Talking about it makes me nostalgic, as I still have a few of those toys with me. May this Janmashtami bring happiness and joy in everyone's life, wishing everyone a Happy Janmashtami." Akansha Sharma as Sakina Mirza in &TV’s Aur Bhai Kya Chal Raha Hai? shares, "I love Janmashtami. I always look forward to this festival. Every year during my childhood, I used to either dress up as Krishna or Radha. It is one of the most cherished memories of my childhood. We would decorate our mandir with flower garlands, balloons and chocolates and dress Baal Krishna in new clothes and pagdi. It is no less than a birthday party. Mishri saunf charnamarat and laddu are prepared at home for everyone, and then at midnight, we all get together for the aarti. I wish everyone the blessings of the almighty to bring joy, prosperity, and happiness in your life."

Rohitashv Gour as Manmohan Tiwari in & TV's Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai says, "Lord Krishna is the destroyer of evil, Janmashtami marks the presence of good and destruction of all that is evil. During my childhood, I never missed a chance to dress up as Nanha Kanha. I would do a count down for this festival. My family welcomes Baal Krishna with a lot of love and devotion, and we celebrate the whole day by decorating the cradle, making prasad and singing aarti. My only wish for everyone is that this Janmashtami, may Lord Krishna bring happiness and peace in everyone's life." Yogesh Tripathi, as Daroga Happu Singh in & TV's Happu Ki Ultan Paltan says, "Every year we prepare a small cradle for Lord Krishna and decorate it with flowers and ornaments during Janmashtami. Sweet delicacies like Makhan Mishri, Kheer, Meethi Mathri and Gujiya is made as an offering to Nanhe Kanha as prasad after which the family enjoy these delicacies together. Earlier, my son, Dishu, would dress up as Baal Krishna and enjoy all the attention and the treats prepared at home. On this Janmashtami, I wish everyone a healthy life full of happiness. May Lord Krishna bless you all."