On 5th and 6th September 2015, thousands of people from all across the UK visited Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna Temple, in Watford, to attend the biggest and most spectacular Janmashtami festival outside of India. The festival celebrated the birth of Lord Krishna.
Every year, Bhaktivedanta Manor's serene and peaceful grounds are transformed into a magnificent festival for all the family, and brought to life with the sound of music, interactive multimedia displays, traditional dance performances, thought-provoking dramas, the opportunity to try Japa mediation, learn more about the philosophy, as well as a Krishnaland for children.
Visitors also had the opportunity to explore bazaars selling a vibrant array of books, fresh organic produce, jewellery, musical instruments and CDs. For those that worked up an appetite, a vast selection of exquisite free vegetarian food was available in abundance.
There were around 1,500 volunteers aged between 16-90 who volunteered their time throughout the weekend.
There were many highlights of the festival and one of the was the recreation of the beautiful forests of Vrindavan, in India, where Lord Krishna played when he was growing up.
Temple President of Bhaktivedanta Manor, Srutidharma Dasa said, “Tens of thousands of visitors and volunteers give up their time every year to help transform Bhaktivedanta Manor for this wonderful festival - it is an inspiring achievement and was a spectacular event.”
In 2016, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will be celebrating 50 years of the Hare Krishna movement in the West.
