Born in Chains: The Janmashtami Story and the Struggle Against Imprisonment and Injustice
1890 painting of Raja Ravi Varma, depicting the birth of Krishna in the jail of Kamsa
Krishna Janmashtami is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the Hindu calendar, commemorating the birth of Lord Krishna, not just a deity but a figure who embodies the eternal struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, truth and falsehood. His birth is traditionally seen as a divine intervention to restore dharma, or cosmic order, at a time when it was being severely threatened by the tyranny of his uncle, King Kansa.
The story of Krishna’s birth is dramatic and poignant. Foretold by prophecy that Devaki’s eighth child would be his doom, Kansa, in a desperate attempt to thwart fate, imprisoned his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudeva. He ordered the death of all their children as soon as they were born, determined to maintain his grip on power at any cost. Yet, despite Kansa’s iron-fisted rule and his heinous acts, Krishna was miraculously born and spirited away to safety. A powerful reminder of how despots throughout history have tried to halt the flow of progress and justice, often through the brutal repression of the innocent. It many versions of the story it takes Krishna years and years before he is able to secure his parents freedom.
We can pause and reflect today on how Krishna’s birth story serves as a metaphor for the ceaseless struggle between tyranny and justice. It tells us that, despite the seemingly insurmountable power of oppressive regimes, the course of history often bends towards justice, albeit through much suffering and sacrifice. This theme, embedded in the story of Krishna Janmashtami, resonates deeply with the political and social realities of our times, where we continue to witness the unjust imprisonment of individuals whose only 'crime' is their courage to speak out against injustice and oppression.
The modern parallels to Krishna’s story are stark and unsettling. In India, for instance, the plight of political prisoners like Umar Khalid and the Bhima Koregaon 16 is a sobering reflection of how authoritarianism seeks to maintain control by silencing dissent. These are individuals who have been jailed not for committing any crime, but for their activism, for their voices raised against injustice, and for their steadfast commitment to social equality. The imprisonment of these activists is a chilling reminder of the lengths to which the state will go to maintain its power—much like King Kansa, who sought to imprison and eliminate those he feared might challenge his reign.
Umar Khalid, a student leader and activist, has been behind bars for over two years now, imprisoned under charges that many believe are fabricated to silence his opposition to the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). His continued incarceration, despite widespread condemnation and calls for his release, highlights the perilous state of free speech and political dissent in India today. Khalid's situation is emblematic of a broader trend where laws meant to protect national security are being misused to target activists, scholars, and ordinary citizens who dare to question the status quo.
Similarly, the Bhima Koregaon 16, a group of intellectuals, lawyers, and activists, were arrested in 2018 under draconian anti-terror laws. They stand accused of inciting violence during the Bhima Koregaon celebrations—charges that have been widely discredited and viewed as an attempt to suppress movements for social justice. Seven of them—Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Jyoti Jagtap, Professor Hany Babu, Sagar Gorkhe, and Ramesh Gaichor—continue to languish in jail, awaiting justice that seems perpetually out of reach. Their incarceration is not just a personal tragedy but a glaring indictment of the state’s misuse of power to silence dissent.
The case of Fr. Stan Swamy, an elderly Jesuit priest and activist, highlights the cruelty that has come to characterize the treatment of political prisoners in India. Arrested in 2020 as part of the Bhima Koregaon case, Fr. Swamy suffered from Parkinson’s disease and required a straw to drink liquids—a basic necessity that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) cruelly denied him while he was in jail. His health deteriorated rapidly in the harsh conditions of the prison, and he died while waiting for bail. Fr. Swamy’s death is a stark reminder of the dehumanizing treatment meted out to those who challenge the powerful, and it stands as a symbol of the broader injustice faced by political prisoners across the country.
Krishna Born in Jail
The story of Krishna Janmashtami, where a despot imprisons an innocent family in a futile attempt to prevent the inevitable march of history, compels us to reflect on the ways in which our own societies continue to use imprisonment as a means to suppress progress and maintain control. It prompts us to ask: How far have we come, and how far do we still need to go in our pursuit of justice?
This reflection extends beyond India’s borders. In the United States, the ongoing movement to close Rikers Island — a notorious New York jail complex known for its brutal conditions and systemic abuses—has become a powerful symbol of the struggle against institutionalized injustice. The campaign to close Rikers is not merely about shutting down a facility; it is about confronting the deep-seated racial and economic inequalities that the prison system perpetuates. It challenges us to rethink our approach to justice, to move away from a system that criminalizes poverty and marginalization, and towards one that upholds the dignity and rights of all individuals.
The echoes of Krishna Janmashtami also resonate in Palestine, where the world continues to witness the suffering of those in Gaza, marked by the decimation of communities and the plight of hostage is a stark reminder that the struggle for justice is not confined to any one country or region, but is a global battle that requires global solidarity.
As we observe Krishna Janmashtami, we are reminded that this day is not just about rituals and festivities. It is a day to reflect on the enduring struggle for justice—a struggle that Krishna himself symbolized. The story of his birth, marked by the imprisonment of the innocent, is a call to conscience for all of us. It urges us to stand against the forces of tyranny and oppression, to advocate for those who have been unjustly imprisoned, and to work towards a world where justice, truth, and righteousness prevail.
This Janmashtami, let us not merely celebrate the birth of a deity, but also the birth of a moral imperative to fight against oppression in all its forms. Whether it is in the jails of India, the cells of Rikers, or the besieged streets of Gaza, the call for justice rings out as loud and clear today as it did in the time of Krishna. Let us answer that call with the courage and conviction that the story can inspire in all of us.