Diwali Festival
Sun 3 Nov 2024
What to expect on the day
The celebration of Diwali is one of the largest festivals held at Bhaktivedanta Manor, with several thousand people attending each year. Every visitor can expect a festival in the truest sense, with something for everyone – including a stage program filled with entertainment, drama and music, free meals, and an opportunity to see our lovely cows.
But most importantly, you will have the chance throughout the day to see Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman on our beautiful altar, which will be lit with many lamps. So, please bring your friends and family and join us for this magical occasion.
Darshan – 10am – 9pm
Prasad – 12pm – 8pm
Lights on the Lake
Inspired by Lord Rama’s homecoming, follow a beautiful Diwali trail created by a local artist, leading you to the lake. Starting at 2pm, you and your family can release a glowing lotus flower candle onto the water and float a ghee lamp. By nightfall, over 3500 candles will shimmer across the lake, lighting up the surroundings of Lord Vishnu’s temple—a breathtaking sight you won’t want to miss!
Main Stage Schedule (subject to change)
12:45pm – Welcome & Kirtan
1:40pm – ‘Krishna Dance in Sattriya Style’ by Chinu
1:50pm – ‘Musical Rendition’ by Maanav & Maayin Chotai
2:05pm – Drama: ‘Govardhana Lila’ by Krishnaland Children
2:30pm – ‘The Real Meaning of Diwali’ by Dr. Priya Virmani
3pm – Drama: ‘The Ramayana’ by the Junior Bhaktivedanta Players
3:30pm – Diwali special with School of Bhakti
4:15pm – Kirtan
5pm – ‘Bharatnatyam Dance’ by Natraj Fine Arts
5:10pm – Messages of Support
5:20pm – Drama: ‘Sita in the Ashoka Groves’ by the Bhaktivedanta Players
5:50pm – ‘Sitayana Katha’ – The Untold Journey of Sita in the Ramayana by Sri Radharamana Das
7:30pm – Finish
There will be no fireworks on this day
Donations
To mark this auspicious occasion of Diwali, many wonderful arrangements are being made to celebrate at Bhaktivedanta Manor.
Many thousands of pilgrims will be coming to celebrate this special occasion. Please support this year’s festival with your heartfelt contribution.
Tickets
To help ensure that every pilgrim, visitor & well-wisher is able to have a pleasant experience, we require you to book a ticket. Without a ticket, we will be unable to permit entry, so please ensure that you do book.
Tickets sold out – please use our Park & Ride alternative or Shuttle Services
Due to limited parking in the fields, we also have a Park & Ride option, where you can park your car nearby at Haberdashers’ Girls’ School and take a Shuttle to Bhaktivedanta Manor. Booking is required to use this service.
Frequently asked questions
Thursday 31 October 2024 at 12pm (noon)
10am-7pm – without a ticket you will not be able to enter between these times.
– By booking your time slot, this helps us create a better and smoother experience for you, with shorter queues and more space to participate in the festival.
– Reduces heavy traffic in the surrounding area, making it easier for you to attend and creates less disruption for locals and non festival-goers.
– Helps us to be less wasteful, as we can prepare appropriate quantities of resources and prasadam (sanctified food).
Tickets are not required for children under 5.
In order to enter Bhaktivedanta Manor on this day, a ticket is required. If you arrive without a ticket, we will not be able to let you in.
You are welcome to stay and enjoy the festivities for as long as you like. Your ticket time only relates to your arrival time.
If you arrive 30 mins before or after your booked arrival time, then you will still be allowed entry. Any earlier than that, we may ask you to please come back later, closer to your booked time. Any later than that, we will try our best to accommodate you, but it may not be possible to allow entry due to limited parking. Please arrive as close to your booked arrival time as possible.
If you are unable to attend, please cancel your tickets so others can join. Visit https://krishnatemple.link/cancel to see how you can cancel your tickets.
If you are having trouble cancelling the tickets, please email us at ticket@krishnatemple.com and we’d be happy to do it for you. Similarly, if any family members also have tickets that they won’t be using, please let us know so that we can cancel their ticket and make it available to others.
Yes, a ticket is still required even if you walk to the Temple or get a taxi.
Contact us via WhatsApp – click here
Shuttle Service
We are pleased to offer shuttle tickets for transportation to the Diwali Festival from either Stanmore Station or Watford Junction. Your shuttle ticket will also serve as your entry pass to the festival site. Please take note of the following important points:
Shuttle Ticket Usage: Your shuttle ticket is only valid for use on the shuttle buses. If you drive to the manor with a shuttle ticket, you will be refused entry.
As there will be limited parking at Bhaktivedanta Manor we will also have a Park & Ride service from Haberdashers’ Girls’ School.
Click the links below for more information and to book.
What is Diwali?
“Diwali ceremony can be observed in the temple by illuminating 100’s of candles, in different parts of the temple, and offering special Prasad to the Deity. This ceremony was observed by the inhabitants of Ayodhya, the Kingdom of Lord Ramacandra, while Lord Ramacandra was out of His Kingdom due to His 14 years banishment by the order of His father. His younger step-brother Bharata, took charge of the Kingdom and the day on which Lord Ramacandra took back the charge again from His brother, and seated on the throne, this is observed as Diwali function. This is the original idea of Diwali, and Dipabali. Dipabali means the same thing—Dipa means candles, and bali means numerous. When numerous candles are lighted it is called Dipabali. In India, this Dipabali function is celebrated in a special auspicious occasion.” Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Hansadutta, October 10, 1968
The festival of Diwali is traditionally observed for five days, but it mainly celebrates the joyful day upon which Lord Rama returned to the kingdom of Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile. The name itself comes from Dipavali, a Sanskrit word referring to the countless rows of lamps which His citizens had lit throughout the kingdom to welcome Him back home (dipa means “lamp, light or candle,” and avali means “rows”). During a different era, this was also the day when Lord Krishna performed His childhood pastime of breaking pots of yogurt and letting His mother bind Him with rope.
Parking & Directions
Frequently asked questions
Yes, there will be free parking available on the geo-grid and the fields. Please note that the fields can be bumpy, and potentially muddy this time of year.
When arriving, please make the requirement for wheelchair accessibility known to the car park volunteers so they can direct you to the correct area to park.
When arriving, please make the requirement for special accessibility known to the car park volunteers so they can direct you to the correct area to park.
Please visit our Directions page here