New Delhi [India], Aug 25 (ANI): Soaked in religious fervour and festive spirit, thousands of devotees thronged to various temples across the country on Saturday night to celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna.

One of the main highlights of the fun-filled festival was the 'dahi handi' events.

People fasted throughout the day while prayers were offered all night and religious hymns were sung in the temples as part of the festivities.

Devotees in Mathura gathered at Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi Temple -- where Lord Krishna is believed to be born -- to celebrate Janmashtami. Devotees were seen dancing on devotional songs and chanting "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama".

People took part in the traditional 'dahi handi' event with 'Govindas' showing up in full strength to perform the ritual of forming a human pyramid to reach the hanging 'handi' in Mumbai.

Lakhs of people offered prayers and celebrated the auspicious festival at different ISKCON temples across the nation amid blowing of conch shells and chanting of Vedic hymns.

A special prayer was also organised in Udhampur for peace, stability, communal harmony and brotherhood in Jammu and Kashmir in view of abrogation of Article 370.

As many as 1,200 school children dressed as goddess Radha and Lord Krishna and performed a dance in Vadodara in Gujarat on the occasion.

The festival was also celebrated with great religious fervour in Ayodhya, which is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath celebrated Janmashtami with children Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur on Friday night.

In Kerala, processions were carried out by children dressed up as Lord Krishna and Radha in Kochi in Ernakulam districts.

Temples were decorated and special prayers were organised at several temples in Hyderabad.

In France, devotees celebrated Janmasthami at ISKON temple in Paris by cutting a cake besides bathing idols of Lord Krishna and Radha amidst chanting of prayers.

In Nepal, a high influx of devotees was witnessed at Shri Krishna Temple in Lalitpur city on Friday night.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several ministers greeted the people on the occasion.

According to the mythology, it is believed that Lord Krishna was born at the midnight and is the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Janmashtami is observed on the Ashtami Tithi, the eighth day of the month of Bhadrapada according to the Hindu almanack. (ANI)