BHAKTIVEDANTA Manor Krishna Temple in Watford celebrated Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna, with a two-day event over the bank holiday weekend on 25 and 26 August.
The festival, one of the most significant in the Hindu calendar, featured themes from the ancient epic The Mahabharata, depicted through large installations across the temple grounds.
A key attraction was a 30-foot reclining Krishna sculpture, centrally located on the temple's lake, surrounded by fountains and a newly built boathouse for artists.
The festival also introduced interactive displays, including a tent modelled after I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, where life-size figures resembling Will Smith and Julia Roberts spoke about Hinduism and the Bhagavad Gita through a QR code interaction.
The youth group Pandava Sena presented a play based on Lord of the Flies, with every performance sold out during the two-day event. Due to its popularity, the festival was a ticketed event, drawing tens of thousands of devotees and pilgrims.
Vishaka Devi Dasi, temple president at Bhaktivedanta Manor, said, "This year’s two-day Janmashtami festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor was splendid. The festival was exceptionally well organised, the weather was ideal, the spirit amongst the attendees was joyous and spiritually uplifting, the volunteers collaborated well, the Deities were stunningly beautiful, and the devotees used great creativity in their presentations."
Bhaktivedanta Manor, located in Aldenham, Watford, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. The 80-acre estate, purchased by George Harrison in 1973 and donated to the Hare Krishna movement, serves as a temple, cultural centre, and monastery, attracting thousands of visitors annually.
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During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)