Vadodara gears up for Janmashtami celebrations, devotees flock to puja shops

Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], August 24 (ANI): Preparations for Krishna Janmashtami in Gujarat's Vadodara are in full swing.
The puja shops of Vadodara are stocked up with materials to decorate Lord Krishna idols and many varieties are available.
A shopkeeper in the Vadodara said "Devotees can decorate their God in any way they want. A variety of decorative things are available in the market. This year a special trend is that the devotees wanted to decorate Krishna Lalla similar to Ram Lalla in Ayodhya".
He added, "A complete set similar to the idol of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya is available to decorate Krishna Lalla. Decorative materials including crowns, Tilaks, earrings, armlets, tilaks have come for the Janmashtami this year".
"Along with Bhagwan's Wagah, his jewellery also includes jewellery like pearl, zardozi, karachali, golden and silver is also available in the shops this year".
The shopkeeper said that devotees are coming in large numbers this year despite the prices are higher this year.
"Devotees have flocked the market this year despite the rates being slightly higher, the devotees are not feeling any difference. The price of the decorative materials starts from rupees 50. These decorative things are mostly made in Kolkata and then come here" he said.
Barsha Parikh a customer said "The best thing about coming here is when you come here you decide to buy something from here. Most of the decorative things are available here. All the materials required to decorate the Krishna Lalla is available here".
The city of Ayodhya is also all set to grandly celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. The markets of Ayodhya are adorned with cradles, swings, garments, and jewellery dedicated to Lord Krishna. This is the first Janmashtami after the completion of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Krishna Janmashtami will be celebrated on August 26 this year across the country. Devotees traditionally fast and decorate temples and homes with flowers, diyas, and lights. The occasion is particularly grand in Mathura and Vrindavan, where it is believed that Krishna spent his youth and childhood. (ANI)