The holy ceremony of Bhumi Puja (ground-breaking) ceremony of the first ever state-funded Vaishnava-Hindu School in Britain will take place on Saturday 7th June 2008 and marks start of building works to be completed in August 2009. The Krishna Avanti Primary School is situated in the London Borough of Harrow. The event is organised by the I-Foundation who successfully bid for the school and the newly appointed governors.

Bhumi Puja is the taking of permission of Mother Earth before the commencement of works to build the school. It will include the chanting of ancient Sanskrit prayers, ancient costumes and devotional singing to the accompaniment of Indian drums and cymbals. It will culminate in a holy ritual called Yajna, where robed priests will pour sanctified offerings of clarified butter into a large sacred fire.

Politicians, VIPs and project donors will be lead to the excavation and construction site where those present will be offered to participate in the ceremony.

The Krishna-Avanti Primary School is the result of years of careful planning and discussion with the local authority and government. It will be UK’s first faith-based Voluntary Aided state school of its kind (and as such will not charge fees). The School will be established as a one-form of entry, mixed primary school with attached nursery and will open in September 2008 with a Reception class.

“We recognise and take our duty seriously, in ensuring that we promote community cohesion, inclusion and value intercultural and religious diversity, ” said the Krishna Avanti School’s New Head Teacher Mrs Naina Parmar, “we will ensure our pupils are equipped with life long skills and attitudes essential to enable them to make not just positive but outstanding contributions to all aspects of contemporary British society.”