Question: Describe Janmashtami and its significance in A Passage to India.
Answer: Some hundreds of miles west of the Marabar Caves, at the palace of Mau, Professor Godbole is seen celebrating Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna. The festival is a colorful and chaotic affair. The altar is a jumble of flowers, golden and silver tablets, all of which obscure the face of the god—who is born, yet not born; who was also born centuries ago, yet can never truly be born. The passion of the singers, led by Godbole, grows to the point where they feel love for all men, the whole universe, and even fragments of their own past. In this spirit, Godbole simultaneously remembers an old woman (Mrs. Moore) whom he met in Chandrapore and a wasp he had seen long ago, and he loves both equally, imitating God’s universal love.
The celebration includes dancing on the carpet, a band playing loud, somewhat vulgar Western music, a blaze of lights, noise, thunder, and shouts from the crowd. At midnight, a conch is sounded, and at that moment, infinite love manifests in the form of Shri Krishna, symbolically saving the world. Following this, various games, amusing and playful, are performed in honor of the newborn child. Every celebrant gets a chance to imitate God and partake in his divine bounty.
The Janmashtami ceremony is significant because it helps to alleviate the painful memory of the Marabar Caves. The author also highlights the universality of Hinduism through this festival. Here, Hinduism symbolizes the unity of mankind. Moreover, the atmosphere of the ceremony eases the tension created by racial prejudice, promoting harmony and spiritual understanding.
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