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Janmashtami 2025: The tradition of cutting cucumber with midnight stalk on Krishna Janmashtami is associated with the birth of Lord Krishna. It is cut as a symbol of umbilical cord and worship is considered incomplete without this ritual.
Janmashtami 2025: Krishna Janmashtami, the festival of the birth anniversary of Shri Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is celebrated with great pomp on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month. This year this festival will be celebrated on Saturday, 16 August 2025. Sri Krishna is believed to be born on midnight, and at this time a unique tradition is played along with special worship, cutting cucumber with stalk.
Tradition of cutting cucumber midnight
Janmashtami is cut with a cucumber coin at 12 o’clock at night. This process is considered symbolically like cutting umbilical cord at the birth of the baby. It is believed that the stalk of cucumber represents the umbilical cord of Lord Krishna, which is cut and the ritual of separating them from Mata Devaki.
Religious recognition and symbol
This tradition is called “Naal piercing”. Excluding the small idol of Shri Krishna from cucumber is a symbol of his birth and separation from his birth and motherhood. This ritual is performed to rejuvenate the holy moment of birth and make the devotees feel connected with him.
Importance of cucumber in worship
After piercing the placenta, Shri Krishna’s Aarti is performed, cucumbers are offered in worship and finally it is distributed among the devotees in the form of offerings. This cucumber is considered a symbol of auspiciousness, purity and blessings of Shri Krishna.
The tradition of cutting cucumber on Janmashtami is not just a religious ritual, but is a medium to preserve the memory of Shri Krishna’s birth and feel the spiritual significance of that moment. This ritual is still performed every year with reverence and devotion.
Also read: Janmashtami 2025: Why are 56 bhog offered to Shri Krishna? Learn mythology and religious importance
