In the life of ISKCON, festivals such as Janmashtami and Ratha Yatra function as concentrated expressions of devotion, teaching, and community outreach. Janmashtami, commemorating the appearance of Krishna, is marked by a mood of austerity leading into celebration: devotees fast throughout the day, often until midnight, while temples remain alive with continuous kirtan, bhajan, and scriptural readings, especially from the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describing Krishna’s birth and early pastimes. The deities of Krishna (often with Radharani) are elaborately decorated with fresh garments, jewelry, flowers, and special altar arrangements, then bathed in an abhisheka with auspicious substances such as milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and juices. Dramatic presentations, dances, and Krishna-lila dramas help make the theology tangible, especially for those new to the tradition. At the exact time of Krishna’s appearance, a midnight arati is performed with full ceremonial worship, and many temples observe cradle or swing ceremonies for baby Krishna. The fast is then joyfully broken with a large vegetarian prasadam feast, which is offered to Krishna and distributed widely to all who attend.

Ratha Yatra, the chariot festival of Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra, extends this devotional energy into the public sphere. ISKCON constructs large, colorful chariots, richly decorated with canopies, flowers, and banners, and installs the deities upon them in special dress and garlands. These chariots are then pulled through city streets by ropes, inviting open participation from devotees and the general public alike, with the act of pulling understood as a form of devotional service. Throughout the procession, there is exuberant sankirtana—congregational chanting accompanied by mṛdaṅga drums, kartals, and other instruments—while devotees dance around the chariots, seeing the Lord as going out to bestow mercy on everyone encountered. At the destination, often a park or open ground, the festival continues with spiritual discourses, cultural programs, classical-style performances, additional bhajans and kirtans, and large-scale prasadam distribution. In both Janmashtami and Ratha Yatra, the consistent thread is the integration of deity worship, collective remembrance of Krishna’s pastimes, and generous sharing of sanctified food, all designed to draw hearts toward Krishna consciousness in a joyful yet disciplined manner.