Faith Features

The 5,000-year-old festival marks the birth of Lord Krishna, the most highly venerated god in the Hindu pantheon.

Ian Pearce and 'friend' at the Festival

One of the biggest celebrations of the festival in the West happens at Bhaktivedanta Manor at Aldenham near Watford. The actual festival fell on Friday the 14th August but the devotees at the Manor opened the doors on the Sunday as well with as many as sixty thousand people expected over the two days.

As always, a warm welcome is assured and excellent Prasad - free vegetarian food - was available for every one.

There was queue for the temple itself, but there was room for everyone in the grounds.   Everywhere there was music and chanting and dramas performed by colourfully dressed players. I met Jaidev who was to perform a fusion of Krishna chanting and soul rhythms.   Jaidev was originally in the Rubettes and sang on the number one hit "Sugar Baby Love". Equally engaging were the small children from the first Hindu state school. They performed on the main stage before a large audience and enthralled everyone.

Gangotri

One particular exhibit was making the news. "The Real Story of Milk" introduced a campaign for milk without the untimely slaughter of cows. Obviously the upkeep of commercially unproductive beasts will make the milk more expensive. However as consumers we have embraced Fairtrade and Organic and we are are prepared to pay a premium for free range eggs. So perhaps slaughter free milks is not such an impossible dream?

I had the chance to preview a new garden dedicated to George Harrison who donated Bhaktivedanta Manor to the Hare Krishna movement. The garden will officially open in the autumn.

Also nearing completion is the new Goshalla- the Cow Protection Centre- home to the Manor's working herd of cattle. It was great to see how well the new Gangotri born in January was doing and some more calves born subsequently looked just as healthy.

Organisers said the theme of this year's festival was the "symbiotic relationship that exists between man, cows and the environment", and promised the event would "demonstrate the spiritual variety of India's ancient Vedic culture".

Vedic scriptures teach the importance of cow protection to the welfare of human society.

Janamashtami is a wonderful festival and colour and music. If you missed it, you will still always receive welcoming spiritual and physical nourishment whenever you visit.