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Artistry beyond belief: Police to welcome Janmashtami with Jhankis, processions & temple celebrations in Lucknow
One of the highlights of the celebrations is the captivating procession that portrays the birth and exchange of Lord Krishna at the Yamuna River, showcased in a jhanki at the 35th Battalion PAC Mahangar.
LUCKNOW Janmashtami, one of India’s most cherished festivals, takes on a special meaning in the heart of Uttar Pradesh, where the state’s police force has upheld the tradition of celebrating it with unparalleled grandeur for years. The festivities, marked by elaborate ‘jhankis’, colourful processions, and the adornment of temples with streamers and divine idols, have become a cultural hallmark of the U.P. Police.
As Janmashtami approaches this year, the dedicated staff and authorities at the Reserve Police Lines and Provincial Armed Constabulary Headquarters are meticulously adding the finishing touches to their splendid installations and decorations in anticipation of the grand celebration on Thursday.
Seasoned hands fashion jhankis before CM’s visit
“If there is one festival that the police take to heart, it’s Janmashtami,” says Umesh Chand, fondly known as Raju around the Reserve Police Lines campus in Indira Nagar. In the run up to the festival, Chand, 56, assumes the role of a fine craftsman and could always be found armed with streamers and a pair of scissors, skillfully fashioning them for the jhanki’s ceiling. This year’s jhanki features a ceiling adorned with saffron, white, and green streamers that Chand painstakingly crafted from scratch, an endeavour that consumed nearly a week of non-stop snipping.
Chand has been involved in the decoration of the jhanki at the Reserve Police Lines since the 1980s, a tradition he has faithfully maintained since his days as a student. As a fourth-grade employee at the Reserve Police Lines, he has been tirelessly working on this year’s jhanki installation since August 20, leading a team of approximately 25 dedicated individuals. Chand happily mentions, “We are all staff members here, and every year, as we prepare the jhanki for Janmashtami, the newest batch of female constables also join us in the evenings.”
Vivek Mishra, the lighting in-charge for the jhanki, shares the sentiment of carrying on a cherished legacy. His father, with over 40 years of experience, has been involved in this role, and together, they have continuously enhanced the lighting arrangements for the jhankis, witnessing its growth year by year, idol by idol.
As the team applies the finishing touches under the watchful guidance of stalwarts like Chand and Mishra, the Reserve Police Lines eagerly awaits the grand cultural program on Thursday, with the proposed chief minister’s visit adding to the excitement.
Captivating Tableau: Reliving Lord Krishna’s Birth Saga
One of the highlights of the celebrations is the captivating procession that portrays the birth and exchange of Lord Krishna at the Yamuna River, showcased in a jhanki at the 35th Battalion PAC Mahangar. The procession commences from a model of Mathura prison cell, reminiscent of Hindu mythology, where Devaki, Vasudev, and Lord Krishna were held captive by the formidable Kansa, the ruler of Mathura at the time.
Ranjeet Yadav, Deputy SP of PAC, who oversees the staff’s diligent work, explains, “Just like the legend associated with the lord, Krishna’s birth occurs within the prison’s confines at midnight, after which Vasudeva, played by our dedicated staffers, carries him to the symbolic Yamuna, recreated at our nearby old lake in the PAC Mahanagar campus.” The lake assumes the role of the sacred river Yamuna for the procession.
Adding to the spectacle, there’s an artificial Vishnu’s Shesh Naag at the lake, aiding Vasudeva in safely crossing Krishna to Nandraja’s house and facilitating the exchange of the babies. Subsequently, Krishna is brought back to the decades-old temple at PAC headquarters where the remaining festivities unfold. Yadav affirms, “We celebrate this tradition with unwavering enthusiasm every year, and this year is no exception. Preparations are in full swing, as the CM is likely to come here after his trip to the PAC.”
