Bhaktivedanta Manor - Hare Krishna Temple Watford

Panihati Chida Dahi Utsava
2026-06-28 16:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London) | Bhaktivedanta Manor, Hilfield Lane, Watford, WD258EZ, United Kingdom
Sunday 28 June 2026 | Schedule

The Chida Dahi Utsava, also known as the Chipped Rice celebration of Panihati, is a yearly celebration of the pastimes of Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami and Lord Nityananda Prabhu. This pastime took place on the banks of the Ganges at Panihati, which is just north of Calcutta. Lord Chaitanya and his associates enjoyed many transcendental pastimes here. Chida Dahi Utsava remembers how the Lord mercifully reciprocated with His devotees by arranging, through Nityananda Prabhu and Raghunatha dasa, to provide an ecstatic feast of yoghurt and chipped rice, along with various other nectar foodstuffs.
Evening (Sri Krishna Haveli, Kirtan Hall)
4:30pm – Kirtan & Bhajans – Offering of Chida Dahi
5:00pm – Story and teachings from Panihati Chida Dahi celebration Vaisesika Das & Kripamoya Das
6:00pm – Awards for best painted pots and best prep by panel of judges – Visakha Dasi, Kripamoya Das & Vaisesika Das
6:15pm – Drama: ‘The Pastime of Panihati Chida Dahi’ by the Krishna Club Drama Group
7:00pm – Gaura Arati in Temple Room
Painting Pots
If you are an artist and would like to paint a pot for the offering please come to Kirtan Hall A at 2pm. Bring your brushes and paints, We will provide the pots. First come first serve (we only have 50 pots for painting). We will offer a special prize to the top 3 artistic pots.
Preparing Chipped Rice Offering
If you are part of our Sunday cooking teams or part of the Pujari cooking team please reach out to Krsnapurna Mataji to come and make a preparation. (cooking will be done between 3pm-4:30pm and all ingredients will be available in Kirtan Hall C)

Panihati Utsav – A feast of Mercy

Donate

Frequently asked questions

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address Bhaktivedanta Manor Hilfield Lane Watford Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

Disappearance of Sri Srivas Pandit
2026-07-10 16:30 - 19:30
Fri 10 July 2026

Location: Temple Room
4.30pm Krsna-katha
5pm Maha-mantra sankirtana: chanting and dancing for the pleasure of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
6pm Class and discussion on the glories of Srivasa Thakura
7pm Arati
7.30pm Celebration prasadam

Srila Prabhupada introduced his followers to the Panca Tattva, five transcendental truths, namely Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (the Supreme Person), Nityananda Prabhu (His expansion), Advaita Acharya (His incarnation), Gadadhara (His internal energy) and Srivasa Pandita (His devotee). There are innumerable unalloyed devotees of the Lord and they’re all headed by Srivasa Pandita.
Srivasa Pandita, who’s described as an incarnation of Narada Muni, played an important role in Sri Chaitanya’s pastimes. Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami describes that before Sri Chaitanya accepted the renounced order of life, He “regularly led congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in the house of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura every night for one full year.” Sometimes Srivasa would please Sri Chaitanya by describing to Him the transcendental mellows of the pastimes of Krishna in Śrī Vṛndāvana.

Frequently asked questions

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address Bhaktivedanta Manor Hilfield Lane Watford Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

Preview from previous festivals

Disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur
2026-07-14 16:00 - 19:30
Tues 14 July 2026
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur (1838-1914) is a prominent preceptor acharya in our succession of spiritual masters and disciples coming from Lord Krishna. He was a pioneering spiritual leader, a householder, a magistrate working in colonial India under the British rule, a prolific preacher, writer, and poet. He wrote volumes of books reintroducing the pure teachings of Lord Chaitanya at a time when those teachings had practically become lost. He composed hundreds of devotional songs glorifying Krishna to uplift the consciousness of the suffering people of this world. He corresponded with philosophers, theologians, leaders, scholars, and professors of his time and sent books, including The Life and Precepts of Lord Chaitanya, to university libraries in foreign countries, planting the seeds for a worldwide movement of Krishna consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Thakur discovered and excavated the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya. Along with his devoted wife, Bhagavati Devi, he raised ten children, including the illustrious Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, who would become a great spiritual leader in his own time and the spiritual master of ISKCON’s founder-acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Disappearance of Sri Gadhadhara Pandit
Also celebrated on this day is the Disappearance of Sri Gadadhara Pandit. Sri Gadadhara Pandita is among the group known as the Panca-tattva, consisting of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and four of His closest associates. Sri Gadadhara Pandita spent most of his life in Jagannatha Puri worshiping the Tota-Gopinatha Deity, who is still worshiped in Puri. Sri Gadadhara Pandita is considered an incarnation of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Krishna.
(Fasting until noon on this day)

Schedule
Temple Room
4:30pm – Krishna-Katha
5pm – Songs and Writings of Srila Bhaktivinoda, along with Hare Krishna Kirtan
6pm – Class by Vrindavan Chandra das Goswami
7pm – Gaura Arati
7:30pm – Celebration Prasad

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a ticket to attend?

No ticket is required. Free for all to attend.

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address
Bhaktivedanta Manor
Hilfield Lane
Watford
Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

Jhulan Yatra
2026-08-23 - 2026-08-27
Sun 23 – Thurs 27 Aug 2026

The five-day celebration of Jhulan at Bhaktivedanta Manor, when Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda are placed on a swing and swung by Their devotees, is a joyous occasion.
During this special time all of us can throng to the temple and please the transcendental eternal forms of Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda. These transcendental forms of the Lord, called Archa-Vigraha, are installed in the temple and are non-different from Them personally. These forms are expanded by the Lord by His internal potency to facilitate the devotional service of His innumerable devotees who are in the material world.
Since our material senses cannot perceive the spiritual nature of Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda, They accept such Archa Vigraha apparently made of a material element such as marble, but actually there is no material contamination. The Supreme Personality of Godhead and His eternal consort are waiting for us to fill our hearts with transcendental happiness by serving Their beautiful transcendental forms as They swing at Bhaktivedanta Manor during Jhulan-yatra.

Schedule

Morning 7am
Evening 4:45pm-6:15pm
Please bring your own flowers to offer to the deities

Frequently asked questions

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address Bhaktivedanta Manor Hilfield Lane Watford Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

Appearance of Lord Balarama
2026-08-27
Thurs 27 Aug 2026
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is His second body. They are both one and the same identity. They differ only in form. In Lord Krishna’s pastimes, He plays as Krishna’s older brother. Together Krishna and Balarama enact many pastimes as cowherd boys in the land of Vrindavan.
Lord Balarama exemplifies the service attitude to Krishna. His only mission is to please Krishna by rendering service to Him, whether it is in the creation of the material worlds, maintaining the spiritual world or as His personal paraphernalia.
Lord Balarama is the eternal companion of Sri Krishna. He came as Laxman with Rama and later as Sri Nityananda Prabhu with Lord Caitanya. He is the original spiritual master, and any one desiring to make spiritual progress must first get the mercy of Lord Balarama.
Balaram Jayanti, the appearance of Lord Balarama, celebrates the activities and pastimes of Lord Krishna’s brother, Lord Balarama. There will be kirtans, dramas, ceremonies, and a feast. Open for everyone.

Schedule (Subject to change)
Morning Programme
4:30am – Mangal Arati
7am – Darshan
7:05am – Jhulan Yatra
7:45am – Guru Puja
8:15am – Drama
8:30am – Class
1pm – Feast (if you would like to sponsor the feast please get in touch with Govinda das 07305 361726)
Evening Programme
4:30pm – Procession from Temple to Goshala Barn
4:45pm – Welcome & Kids Games
5:30pm – Games with Krishna Balarama & The Cowherd Boys (Kabaddi & Tug of War)
6pm – Sweet Rice Distribution
Harinam & Book Distribution | Watford Town Centre
11am-1pm
(Get the blessings of all vaisnavas, by sponsoring prasad. Contact bmf@krishnatemple.com)
(Fasting until noon on this day)

Frequently asked questions

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address
Bhaktivedanta Manor
Hilfield Lane
Watford
Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

How do I donate towards the festival?

Thank you for thinking of donating! Please click the link below to donate
Donate here

Preview from previous festivals

Radhastami
2026-09-19
Sat 19 Sept 2026
Srimati Radharani’s glorious appearance on this planet occurred on this day around 5,000 years ago. She is the divine female energy of Lord Krishna, His loving potency, which He is all attracted by.
She is the foremost maha-bhagavata, the greatest devotee. Krishna is all-attractive, but Radharani is so great that she attracts even Krishna. Five thousand years ago, when Lord Krishna came to this planet to perform His pastimes, Srimati Radharani also appeared.
On Radhastami day, devotees meditate on the exalted position of Srimati Radharani and offer prayers to her.

Donate for Radhashtami

Schedule
Morning Programme
Mangal Arati, Guru Puja, Deity Greeting, Radhika-Stava, Class & Abhishek
Timings TBC
Prasadam
Timings TBC
Harinam & Book Distribution | Watford Town Centre
12pm-4pm
Evening Programme | Sri Krishna Haveli
Kirtan, Class, Flower Offerings & Cake Distribution
Timings TBC
(Fasting until noon on this day)
If you would like to sponsor the prasad on this day for all the devotees please email bmf@krishnatemple.com or call Vaisnava das on 07305361726.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a ticket to attend?

No ticket is required. Free for all to attend.

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address
Bhaktivedanta Manor
Hilfield Lane
Watford
Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

How do I donate towards the festival?

Thank you for thinking of donating! Please click the link below to donate
Donate here

Month of Kartik
2026-10-25 - 2026-11-24
25 October – 24 November 2026

During this time, pilgrims come from far and wide to offer a lamp to Mother Yasoda and Lord Krishna, and also increase their spiritual activities. The importance of this month is described extensively in the scriptures, especially in Srila Rupa Goswami’s Mathura Mahatmya.
Every day, devotees come to the Temple and offer a candle to Lord Damodara and read Krishna book. The Damodarastakam, a series of eight beautiful verses by the great sage Satyavrata Muni, is sung daily in the morning and evening.

Daily Schedule

Morning – Candle offering – 7am – 7:20am
Evening – Candle offering – 4:20pm – 7:30pm
Notes:
Candles will be provided free of charge to everyone. Please do not bring your own candles, lamps or ghee wicks for offering. One candle per person.
Offerings will be paused between 6:30pm – 7pm as the curtains will be closed at this time. During this time there will be a special talk given on Krishna’s pastimes.
Children under 5 will not be given a candle. Children must be supervised at all times.
Offering times and locations may vary on festival days

Listen to the story of Kartik

Created by Bhaktivedanta Players. Listen to the audio drama of Damodara-Lila, the story of Kartik.

https://www.krishnatemple.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Damodar-Lila.mp3-1-2.mp3

Annakuta & Govardhana Puja
2026-11-09
Mon 9 Nov 2026

Govardhana Puja, Go-Puja and Annakuta are all connected with the story of Lord Krishna lifting Govardhana Hill to protect the inhabitants of Vrindavan. On this day, a small hill of sweets is made from food prepared by the devotees, which is then offered to the Deities, and subsequently distributed to everyone. This is known as the “annakuta” ceremony. Cows are honoured as part of the festivities as well.

Donate a Thali

Schedule

No Ticket Required for entry
Annakuta Darshan: 8am-5pm
Darshan: 8am-7.30pm
Temple Room
Mangal Arati: 4.30am
Morning Program (Sri Krishna Haveli)
TBC
Prasad Notice
Small amounts of Annakuta prasad will be distributed to the visitors. Prasad feast is at 7pm (evening). Please note there will be no prasad / meal served in the day, and there will be no food served in the Café.
Evening Program (Sri Krishna Haveli)
TBC
New Gokul Farm (Goshalla)
9am-7:30pm

Donate a Thali

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a ticket to attend?

No ticket required

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address
Bhaktivedanta Manor
Hilfield Lane
Watford
Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

Disappearance of Srila Prabhupada
2026-11-13
Fri 13 Nov 2026

His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent exponent of the teachings and practices of bhakti-yoga to the Western world. The disappearance of Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is reflected on by devotees around the world with heartfelt appreciations and chanting of the holy names of the Lord, appreciating his profound influence on their lives.

Schedule
Morning Programme
Timings TBC
Srila Prabhupada’s Rooms
6.00pm – Kirtan and offerings
7.23pm – Arati and Gurvastakam
Harinam & Book Distribution
Timings TBC
(Fasting until noon on this day)

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a ticket to attend?

No ticket is required. Free for all to attend.

Will there be parking available?

Yes. Free parking will be available all day.

How do I get there?

Address Bhaktivedanta Manor Hilfield Lane Watford Sat-Nav: WD25 8HE
Note: Entrance to temple is via Hilfield Lane only. There is no entrance to the temple through Letchmore Heath village. For driving, use approximate driving postcode WD25 8HE and follow road signs. Do not use WD25 8EZ, as this will lead you to a nearby village.
For Public Transport & Map, please CLICK HERE

Preview from previous festivals
