More than 60,000 people have celebrated a two day festival over the weekend commemorating the birth of the Hindu God Krishna.
The Janmashtami Festival at Bhaktivedanta Manorford near Watford was organised by 1,500 volunteers and attracts many people of other faiths also. It is thought to be one of the largest festivals of its kind outside of India.
Primarily it is a festival of Peace and unity, gathering Hindus and interested observers from across the country. It sights, sounds and smells are a vibrant mix of painted faces, floral decoration, vegetarian cooking, drama, dancing and singing. One of the leading figures in world Hinduism, His Holiness Swami Radhanath attended the festival and stated that it should be an event that promoted religious understanding and tolerance in Britain. The BBC reported him saying:
'Jesus taught to love God with all your heart, mind and soul is the first great commandment, and that's what all great spiritual teachers and great incarnations all teach. And rather than fighting over sectarian views, if we understand the essence of our own religion we'll understand that essence within all religion. And there will be respect and appreciation and love for each other. That's the greatest need in this world.'
The festival incorporated a celebration of the cow, a sacred animal in Hinduism. Lord Krishna was also the guardian of all cows and therefore there was a double significance to it. Those non-Hindus who attended the events were said to thoroughly enjoy the exciting and interesting atmosphere with many stalls to browse and new cuisines to try.
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