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Gaura Purnima / Holika Dahan (Festival)
March 16
Free
Sunday 16 March 2025 | Ticket Required
Tickets available via the link further down this page
Alternatively please book our shuttle services from Stanmore Station or Watford Junction. Arriving via the shuttle will work as your entry ticket.
Schedule
Note: There will be no rang mela (throwing of coloured powders) at this festival
Tickets required from 10am – 7pm
Darshan 10am-9pm
Prasad served 11am – 8pm
Holika Bonfire 12pm – 8pm
Japa meditation garden 11am – 6pm
Stage programme
– 11am: Gaurangi & Bhajan Band
– 1pm: Quiz by School of Bhakti
– 2pm: Pandava Sena
– 3pm: Performance by the Gurukula Children
– 3:30pm: Dance by Keli’s Dance Group
– 4pm: ‘Radha’s Rasa Dance’ by Shweta Ohri
– 4:10pm: Drama: ‘Gaura Lila’ by Bhaktivedanta Players
– 4:40pm: ‘Be A Gardener’ – Presentation on Caitanya-Caritamrita
– 5pm: Gauranga Kirtan Mela
– 8:30pm: Finish
(Get the blessings of all vaisnavas, by sponsoring prasad. Contact bmf@krishnatemple.com)
Shuttle Info
We are pleased to offer shuttle tickets for transportation to the Gaura Purnima Festival from either Stanmore Station or Watford Junction. Your shuttle ticket will also serve as your entry pass to the festival site.
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.
Ticket Info
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.
Book your tickets via the link below
Frequently asked questions
Monday 10 March 2025 at 12pm (noon) on this page
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. When booking, please fill in ‘Taxi’ or ‘Walking’ in to the vehicle registration field.
Contact us via WhatsApp – click here
Parking & Directions
Frequently asked questions
Yes, there will be free parking available on the geo-grid and the fields for those with valid tickets for entry. 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.
There are limited spaces, but when arriving, please make the requirement for special accessibility known to the car park volunteers so they can do their best to accommodate and direct you to the correct area to park.
Please visit our Directions page here
About Gaura Purnima
Gaura Purnima is the anniversary of the appearance of Lord Caitanya, who is Krishna himself in the role of His own devotee. He appeared in 1486 in Mayapur, West Bengal.
Gaura Purnima provides a golden opportunity to reflect on Lord Caitanya’s mission of spreading Nama Sankirtana to every town and village, and chant the holy names of the Lord.
The Holika Dahan bonfire is a ceremonial tradition performed based on the past-times of Prahlad Maharaja. The fire is meant to symbolise protection, and the importance of faith in Lord Sri Krishna.