Food, performances and dancing: Krishna Janmashtami celebrations this weekend

After almost a three-year hiatus, halted by the Covid pandemic, Toowoomba’s Hare Krishna community will be a hosting a Janmashtami Festival in Civic Square this weekend. Here’s what to look forward to.

After almost a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Hare Krishna community will be celebrating Krishna Janmashtami in the heart of the city, so a plethora of food, performances and lots of dancing.

Krishna Janmashtami is the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna in the Hare Krishna community, Hare Krishna being a branch of the Hindu religion.

The not-for-profit organisation, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan Australia will be heading to Toowoomba from its Brisbane branch to host the festival with the help of the Indian community in Toowoomba.

Attendees can expect a number of food stalls, as well as an exhibition on Indian cultural heritage, devotional group performances, dancing and skits.

The Red Cross will also be operating a blood donation station, and everyone that donates will receive a free meal.

One of Toowoomba’s organisers Sid Bhardwaj said the epitome of the festivities is to celebrate that everyone is “part and particle” of the Lord, no matter who you are.

“That is reflected by love for each other … we must, you know, share together,” he said.

Divya Bhardwaj said the festival is all about everyone getting together and everyone is equal, which is something both Ms and Mr Bhardwaj are trying to instil in their children.

“All these aspects are getting to our children, you know, those values, they are getting to develop them practically by, you know, feeding people,” she said.

This year, Ms and Mr Bhardwaj are taking a back seat to the organisation of the festival and instead encouraging their children, Krishnapriya Bhardwaj, age 12, and Radhika Bhardwaj, age 15, to take more responsibility and become more community-orientated.

Mr Bhardwaj said with the significant growth of the Indian community across the nation, especially in Toowoomba, he believes they should be taking a lead in giving back.

“We should take a lead in giving back to society, in giving back to the community, and try and do something constructive,” he said.

In past festivals, around 1000 to 1500 people have attended to catch a performance, have a bite to eat, something to drink, and enjoy the festivities, Mr Bhardwaj said.

The festival will be running in Toowoomba CBD’s Civic Square from 12pm to 3pm on Sunday, August 28.