Janmashtami is a popular and significant Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, one of the most revered gods in the Hindu religion. Every year, Hindu communities hold jolly festivals that show their love and devotion towards Lord Krishna.

Why Do We Celebrate Janmashtami?

Janmashtami is the auspicious occasion that marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna.

Widely recognized and worshiped worldwide, Lord Krishna is mainly known for his love, kindness and compassion towards every being. The Janmashtami celebration is a festival dedicated to him by his worshippers all around the world.

As a festival of love and sheer joy, Janmashtami calls for a grand celebration in both various parts of India (especially in his birthplace, Marutha) and all around the globe by the Hindu community. 

There are many temples all over India dedicated to the god, adorned with flowers and bells. The devotees organize a small celebration where they depict Krishna Stories in the form of street plays. Devotees offer their prayers and sing devotional songs all night. 

When is The Janmashtami Celebration in Canada 2022?

Janmashtami is celebrated on the eighth day of the dark fortnight during the month of Shravana or Bhadra, according to the Hindu calendar. This usually falls around August or September of the Gregorian calendar. 

For Janmashtami 2022, the festival takes place on August 18th to August 19th in Canada, and spans a total of two days, as per tradition. The festival of Janmashtami begins at around 12:00 AM, as the god Krishna was said to be born during midnight. 

How is Janmashtami Celebrated in Canada?

Janmashtami is celebrated with great enthusiasm and reverence amongst the South Asian community here in Canada. Temples are the main hubspots for Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, with the biggest and grandest celebrations held at the Hare Krishna Temples. These temples are located in the large cities in Canada. 

Devotees approach the idols with reverence and worship, and show their love for the Hindu god in various ways. Prayers and chanting of mantras are a very common example. The temples also hold many festive events, such as dance-dramas, plays, and many other typical traditions for the festival. 

These temples do an excellent job in recreating the celebratory atmosphere that Janmashtami festivals in India usually have. As such, these Janmashtami events in Canada are widely recognized and enjoyed by the South Asian communities, despite happening far from the home of Lord Krishna. 

Where is Janmashtami Celebrated in Canada? 

As previously mentioned, Janmashtami is most commonly celebrated at temples. The most well known temples for Janmashtami celebration in Canada are the ones held by the International Society of Krishna Consciousness. These are also known as the ISKCON temples.

Of course, there are also other temples that celebrate Janmashtami in Canada. Below is a list of a few well-known celebration sites.

List of Temples that Celebrate Janmashtami in Canada:

S.No.	Temples	Address	Days	Timings
1	ISKCON Toronto Hare Krishna Center	243 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R 2J6	All 7 Days	4:15a.m.–12:30p.m. 4–6:30p.m
2	ISKCON Scarborough Hare Krishna Center	3500 McNicoll Ave Unit # 3, Scarborough, ON M1V 4C7	Friday	5–7a.m. 6p.m.–12a.m.
			Saturday	6–8p.m.
			Sunday	10a.m.–1:15p.m.
3	ISKCON Halifax Center	59 McQuade Lake Crescent, Halifax, NS B3S 1C4	Sunday	3–5p.m
4	ISKCON Montreal Center	1626 Pie-IX Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H1V 2C5	All 7 Days	4:30a.m.–9p.m.
5	ISKCON Brampton Center	173 Advance Blvd Unit 41,42, Brampton, ON L6T 4J4	Sunday	11a.m.–2p.m.
6	ISKCON Vancouver Center	5462 Marine Dr, Burnaby, BC V5J 3G8	All 7 Days	4:30–11:10a.m. 11:45a.m.–12:30p.m. 4–5:55p.m. 6:30–7p.m. 8–8:30p.m.
7	ISKCON Edmonton Center	9353 35 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 5R5	All 7 Days	8a.m.–12:30p.m. 4–8p.m.
8	Sanatan Mandir Cultural Center	9333 Woodbine Ave, Markham, ON L6C 1T5	All 7 Days	8:30a.m.–1p.m. 5–8p.m.
9	Vishnu Mandir	8640 Yonge St, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 6Z4	All 7 Days	7:30a.m.–8:30p.m.
10	Sri Radha Krishna Temple	1960 Ellesmere Rd Unit #9, Scarborough, ON M1H 2V9	All 7 Days	9a.m.–1p.m. 5–8p.m.

Janmashtami Celebration in Canada: A Cultural Wonder

Janmashtami is another cultural festival that has made its way and held its place in this multicultural mosaic in Canada. It is not just a celebration among the Hindu communities here, but also a celebration for all of us, as we witness another jemstone of multiculturalism being showcased here in this country.

It is truly marvellous that Canada has constructed a welcoming environment for cultures all around the world to celebrate their wondrous traditions. We hope this multicultural joy can be more commonly seen in the future, and we hope you believe so as well. Canada is a multicultural mosaic, and any beautiful culture should feel welcome and invited to stay.

Happy Janmashtami, everyone!