50,000 to attend Janmashtami at Hare Krishna Temple near Watford.
Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna Temple in Patchetts Green on the outskirts of Aldenham and Bushey will once again welcome tens of thousands of visitors for Janmashtami, one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar.
Taking place tomorrow (Sunday) and on Monday, the manor, which was gifted in 1973, will provide the setting for a day of joyous festivities and celebration.
Highlights of this year’s festival, which is open for anyone to go to, include family orienated events such as the New Gokul Farm, a walk through the recreation of a Vrindavan forest, a place where Krishna played as a young boy.
Visitors and pilgrims will enjoy complimentary vegetarian food and the opportunity to browse the bazaars selling an eclectic array of delicatessens, books, handmade jewellery, music and organic produce.
There will also be a children’s area and marquees showcasing drama, music, and multimedia.
Srutidharma Das, Temple President of Bhaktivedanta Manor said: “The manor was gifted to us by George Harrison in 1973 and it carries on his legacy of sharing ancient wisdom and cultural richness of the east. The festival message is simple and universal, through love we connect, we belong and we transcend.
“The festival promotes the importance of love and community in what is today a very diverse society and is only made possible with the help of 1,500 volunteers.
“We do have a very extensive traffic management plan in place for the two days of the festival. We have applied the same traffic management plan for the last three years and has worked well without any significant problems.”