The annual Janmashtami festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor kicked off yesterday and Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, was one of the thousands of people who went along to the Hare Krishna centre in Aldenham to mark this special occasion in the Hindu calendar. The second and concluding day of the festival takes place tomorrow when devotees will celebrate the birth of the Lord Krishna.
Speaking during her visit, Theresa Villiers said “I have been supporting events at Bhaktivedanta Manor for many years and it is great to be at their Janmashtami festival once again. The temple here at Aldenham is a very special place for many of my constituents and the big events held to celebrate occasions in the Hindu calendar, such as Diwali and Janmashtami, are always very popular.”
“Around 30,000 people are expected to attend the Janmashtami festival at Bhaktivedanta Manor this year. It is phenomenal that this huge event is almost entirely run by volunteers. Around a thousand volunteers will be giving up their time this year to make this special occasion possible. I pay tribute to all of them and thank them for their work and their hospitality.”
“I send my best wishes to all my constituents who are celebrating Janmashtami. Happy Janmashtami!”