This Janmashtami, youngsters are moving beyond shopping for traditional Krishna idols. They are now giving their love for Kanha a unique, playful spin through collectibles, streetwear, décor and nail art.
Krishna, the action hero
For Sunil Singh Shekhawat, founder of Actionfigure_fury, the appeal lies in seeing Krishna as a superhero. “We offer action figurines of various forms of Lord Krishna that are all the rage among our Gen Z customers. It’s because just like Marvel’s Spider-Man, youngsters see Lord Krishna as an Indian Mythological superhero who lifted Govardhan Hill on his little finger to protect the people of Vrindavan.”
Unlike conventional marble or mud idols that remain fixed in one position, the Rajasthan-based brand offers movable idols which can be assembled and posed. “I usually go for traditional Krishna idols during Janmashtami, but these Lord Krishna action figures were too cool to ignore. I didn’t know we had such fun god-themed merch in India,” says Delhi-based graphic designer Karthik Ahuja.
A tiny Kanha, in crochet
Ahead of the festival, Krishna’s childhood innocence is finding a cute new form. “People are buying crochet Krishna dolls, especially Baal Krishna holding a butter pot on a swing, as cute collectibles, decor pieces and car hangings,” says Delhi-based Prerna Kataria, founder of The Dodo Crafts.
The crochet dolls are also finding buyers among Indian devotees living abroad. “People there feel homesick, and many have ordered over 20 Lord Krishna crochet dolls for their families to feel connected to their culture,” says Prerna, adding that the cotton-yarn creations also appeal to those looking for more sustainable decor.
A little dharma, a little drama
Krishna’s wisdom is getting a Gen Z spin with memes around him giving advice. This inspired Sakshi Gupta, founder of As Usual Clothing, to come up with Krishna-themed graphic T-shirts featuring playful quotes such as ‘I said Dharma, not Drama, Sakhi’ and ‘Why worry when you have Sri Hari.’ “The people relate so much to these tees that these have been our bestselling streetwear since the start of our brand. We have received over 300 orders for this year’s Janmashtami,” says Sakshi.
Kanha, on your nails
The Krishna-themed merch doesn’t stop at streetwear and décor. Nail artists have come up with Janmashtami-coded nail art too. Bhumi Soni, founder of Pretty Nails by Bhumi in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, created a Lord Krishna-inspired press-on nail set for fun.
“But to my surprise, people loved the design and I got five orders the moment I put it on my Instagram page,” she says. The set can be customised for those who would rather not have Krishna’s face on their nails. Since they are press-ons, they can be worn for Janmashtami and taken off for reuse later. “I have also got orders from followers of Lord Krishna based abroad,” Bhumi adds.
