11:56am Thursday 29th August 2013 in Borehamwood Times
Laxmiprya and Mohini Patel as Lord Krishna and His devotee
Sunshine glittered on silk and sequins as thousands of people gathered to celebrate Hare Krishna in Hertsmere.
More than 30,000 people converged on Bhaktivedanta Manor in Aldenham for the annual Janmashtami festival, which celebrates the birth of the Hindu god Krishna.
This year’s spectacle was bigger than ever as it marked 40 years since Beatle George Harrison gave the mock Tudor mansion to the centre’s founder Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Members of the public and devotees mingled as they enjoyed Indian food and music, watched colourful dancing and queued for hours to enter the temple and pay their respects to the god.
Temple president Srutidharma Das said: “It’s wonderful to see so many smiling faces here.
“About 30 per cent of people here come from the local area.
“I’ve spoken to Jewish families who came here for a day out because it was sunny. One man said that since he came here his mind has been at peace rather than in pieces.
“We’re very much a part of the local community here and do our best to help.”
At least 40 young people carrying flutes and with faces painted blue joined children in saris as they carried out crafts or acted in plays about the Hare Krishna movement.
Balloons filled the air and people bought manure and gigantic marrows grown in the grounds, accompanied by rhythmic singing.
Bushey resident Ravindra Patel said the festival had been “amazing”.
He added: “I bring my family every year. It’s our second home.
“It’s an exciting time. Every year it builds up to a crescendo as people expect the birth. It’s happy and joyous.”
Madhu Basu had flown all the way from Calcutta to be present at the biggest Hindu festival outside India.
He added: “It’s lovely to be here in the beautiful weather. I will tell everyone at home how wonderful it was.”
The festival was made possible by a team of 1,200 volunteers, the oldest of whom is 94.
They worked hard for weeks to carry out tasks from preparing the 10.5 tonnes of potatoes to looking after important guests including MPs and mayors.
One of the volunteers, dentist Khushboo Brahmbhatt, said she was honoured to be able to serve.
She said: “I’ve been coming here after work to help in the kitchens. It really enhances your quality of life being here.”
More than 15,000 cars queued to enter the site, causing tailbacks on the A41.
Yet the organisers said the parking and traffic had been managed as well as could be expected.
Mayor of Hertsmere Councillor Paul Morris, who was one of the guests, agreed.
He said: “The festival was fantastic.
“There were huge crowds but it did not feel threatening in the least. What I was so taken by was the peaceful family atmosphere.
“Religious organisations need to take a lesson from the festival’s superb organisation.
“There were huge crowds but it did not feel threatening in the least.
“I saw only a fraction of what was on offer and it was wonderful to find out more about what goes on here and about how they enhance Hertsmere.”
The event continues on Sunday, where another 30,000 are expected.
Cllr Morris added: “I can’t wait to come again.”
source: Borehamwood Times
From the article we read that;”More than 30,000 people converged on Bhaktivedanta Manor in Aldenham for the annual Janmashtami festival, which celebrates the birth of the Hindu god Krishna.”
Our Srila Prabhupada, the current Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya Acarya said in a lecture Bhagavad-gita 2.11 lecture in Edinburgh, July 16, 1972 that;
“We are sleeping. Therefore, to awaken us, this mantra, mahā-mantra, is required to awaken. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Just like these boys, these European boys and girls who are along with me… I have got about, more than three, four thousand disciples like that. They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And not that whimsically they are chanting. They are fully convinced. If you talk with them, they will talk very nicely on philosophy. Everything sane, as a sane man. So how they are doing? Four years ago, they did not know what is the name of Kṛṣṇa. Perhaps they might have seen in the English dictionary the name of Kṛṣṇa as stated “a Hindu god.” But actually, that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa is the name of God. Kṛṣṇa means the all-attractive, all-good. All-attractive means He must be good; otherwise, how He can be attractive? A bad, someone who is bad, he cannot be attractive. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, this very word, means all-attractive. He has got all the good qualities, all the opulences so that He is attractive. That is the right description of, or right nomenclature of God. If God has got any name particular which is full in everything, that word is Kṛṣṇa. It is a Sanskrit word, but it indicates… Kṛṣṇa means God. In the śāstra it is said, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. Īśvaraḥ means controller, and paramaḥ, the supreme. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. That is the instruction of Vedic literature. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sectarian religious movement. It is a scientific philosophical movement. Try to understand it. But the process is very simple. The process is by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.”
If we would follow Him all the time long, if even just a few pure devotees would have taken it seriously than maybe no one would dare call Krishna a “hindu god” anymore, at least not in regard to Krishnas birthday celebration in His own Temple.