🪷Radha Ashtami on Sunday, August 31, 2025🪷
Radha Ashtami, the sacred appearance day of Shri Radha Rani, the eternal consort of Lord Krishna, will be celebrated this year on Sunday, August 31, 2025. Devotees around the world observe this auspicious day with great reverence, love, and devotion, as it marks the divine manifestation of Goddess Radha, the embodiment of pure devotion (Bhakti) and the eternal energy (Shakti) of Lord Krishna.
This sacred festival falls on the Ashtami Tithi (eighth lunar day) of Shukla Paksha in the Bhadrapada month. It is considered one of the most spiritually uplifting days in the Vaishnava tradition, especially within the Braj region and the temples of ISKCON worldwide
🪷🪷 Radha Ashtami 2025 – Key Timings (Kolkata, India)
Madhyahna Puja Time: 10:21 AM to 12:52 PM (Duration – 2 hours 31 mins)
Ashtami Tithi Begins: 10:46 PM on August 30, 2025
Ashtami Tithi Ends: 12:57 AM on September 1, 2025
Note: All timings are as per the Panchang for Kolkata, India. Panchang day begins and ends with sunrise. Hours past midnight are suffixed with the next day’s date.
✨✨ Significance of Radha Ashtami 🪷🪷✨✨
Shri Radha Rani is not just the beloved of Shri Krishna—She is His very life force, the personification of Mahabhava, the highest form of love and devotion. Without Radha, Krishna is incomplete, and without Krishna, Radha’s existence holds no meaning. Together, They embody the eternal principle of Divine Love.
Radha Ashtami is celebrated with immense joy, especially in Barsana, the birthplace of Shri Radha. At the Shri Ladli Ji Maharaj Temple, thousands of devotees gather for Abhishekam, kirtan, and grand festivities. ISKCON temples worldwide also observe the day with special pujas, fasting, and ecstatic chanting of the holy names
🪷🪷Radha Ashtami Vrat Vidhi (Fasting & Worship Procedure) 🪷🪷
According to the Brihannaradiya Purana, the proper observance of Radha Ashtami Vrat brings immense spiritual merit and blessings of Shri Radha Rani. Here is the traditional procedure:
1. Morning Preparations
Wake up early, take a holy bath, and wear clean, sanctified clothes.
2. Sacred Setup
Prepare a sanctified area or mandapa.
Draw a sacred mandala and place a Kalasha (earthen or copper pot) at its center.
Place a copper plate above the Kalasha and install an idol or picture of Shri Radha Rani.
3. Adorning the Deity
Offer two new garments to the idol.
Decorate with flowers, ornaments, and sandalwood paste.
4. Madhyahna Puja (Main Worship)
During the Madhyahna Kala (10:21 AM – 12:52 PM), perform Shodashopachara Puja (16 types of offerings), including flowers, incense, lamp, fruits, sweets, and kirtan.
5. Fasting
Observe a fast throughout the day. If a full fast is difficult, observe Ekabhukta Vrat (one meal during the day).
6. Charity & Conclusion
On the next day, lovingly serve meals to married women and brahmanas.
Donate the worshipped idol to a qualified Acharya.
Break the fast by sharing prasadam with family members.
✨✨Spiritual Essence of Radha Ashtami ✨✨
The essence of Radha Ashtami lies in cultivating pure, unconditional devotion to Lord Krishna. Shri Radha teaches the world that true love is selfless, eternal, and filled with surrender. By observing this vrat with sincerity, devotees are blessed with the ability to deepen their bhakti and experience the sweetness of divine love.
On this sacred day, chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra with devotion is considered the highest offering to Shri Radha and Krishna.
✨✨ Conclusion ✨✨
Radha Ashtami is not just a festival—it is a divine opportunity to remember the supreme truth of love, devotion, and surrender. By observing this vrat and offering our hearts to Shri Radha Rani, we invite divine grace, peace, and joy into our lives.
This August 31, 2025, let us celebrate Radha Ashtami with devotion, humility, and love, praying for the blessings of Shri Radha Rani—the eternal queen of Vrindavan.
✨✨ Radha Rani ki Jai! Shri Krishna ki Jai! ✨✨