Krishna Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada (usually August or September). Devotees often mark it with fasting, devotional singing, recitation of scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita, and staying awake until midnight, the hour of Krishna's birth, followed by celebration and the sharing of sweets.