At the world-famous Khatu Shyam Ji temple in Sikar, Rajasthan, the midnight hour of Krishna Janmashtami brought a rare ritual moment. Exactly at 12:00 am, Baba Shyam was bathed and anointed in a panchamrit abhishek, and right after the ritual, temple authorities announced that devotees would get to see him in his original Shaligram form for the next two days.
A Midnight Abhishek and a Rainbow of Flowers
Once the abhishek was complete, Baba Shyam's original form was given a special adornment, decorated entirely with seven-colored flowers. Normally, the idol is dressed only during the morning shringar aarti and the evening sandhya aarti, so a separate special adornment outside those two rituals is rare, making this Janmashtami night even more significant for devotees. After the grand aarti concluded, panjiri prasad was distributed among the devotees present.
Crowds Thinned Through the Day, Then Surged at Midnight
Turnout at the temple this Janmashtami was lower than usual. The morning mangala aarti and shringar aarti drew a healthy crowd, but numbers kept falling as the day wore on. By afternoon, the footfall on this special occasion had dropped below what the temple normally sees even on an ordinary day. The trend reversed by late evening, when devotee numbers picked up again, and by the time the midnight grand aarti began at 12:00 am, a massive crowd had gathered inside the temple complex.
Two Days in Shaligram Form, Then a Special Tilak Shringar
For the next two days, Baba Shyam will continue to appear before devotees in his original Shaligram form. Temple tradition holds that only a handful of days each month see the deity presented this way, which is why devotees treat the occasion as especially significant. Shri Shyam Mandir Committee secretary Manvendra Singh Chauhan said the temple's doors will remain closed on September 8 as preparations get underway for the tilak shringar. The following day, September 9, will see Baba Shyam given his special tilak shringar adornment. From the morning mangala aarti on September 10 onward, devotees will once again be able to see him in this tilak shringar form.
Why Baba Shyam Is Known as the Support of the Defeated
Baba Shyam is regarded as an incarnation of Lord Krishna and is popularly known as haare ka sahara, the support of the defeated. The title traces back to a story from the Mahabharata. According to the legend, Barbarik, grandson of Bhima, was preparing to fight on the side of the Kauravas in the Mahabharata war. Lord Krishna, disguised as a Brahmin, approached him and asked for his head as an offering. Without hesitation, Barbarik cut off his own head and offered it to Krishna. Pleased with this sacrifice, Krishna granted him a boon that in the Kali Yuga he would be worshipped under the name Shyam and would become the support of those who lose. Since then, Baba Shyam has been revered by devotees as the support of the defeated.
