The Spirit of the Event
The Krishna Kids Carnival is conceived as a joyful expression of Krishna consciousness for young children, in the spirit of the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of ISKCON. The events are offered as opportunities for children to grow in devotion, knowledge of the shastras, and artistic expression — not as competitions in the ordinary sense. Sincerity, enthusiasm and participation are valued as much as performance.
All participants, parents, volunteers and judges are requested to conduct themselves with the humility, warmth and mutual respect befitting a Vaishnava gathering, throughout the event.
Event-Wise Rules
| Group | Age Range |
|---|---|
| Gopalas | 0 – 3 years |
| Keshavas | 3 Yrs 1 month – 5 years |
| Govindas | 5 Yrs 1 month – 8 years |
| Madhavas | 8 Yrs 1 month – 12 years |
- A child’s age group is determined by their age as on the date of the event (to be confirmed and communicated separately), based on the date of birth submitted at registration.
- Each child may be registered in only one age group. A child may not be entered in a younger or older group to gain eligibility for additional events.
- The date of birth declared at registration is treated as final. Organizers reserve the right to request supporting documentation (school ID / birth certificate) at any stage, including at the venue. Entries found to be misrepresented may be disqualified without refund.
- A child may participate only in events for which their age group is eligible (see Section 4). Entries in an ineligible event will be disqualified without refund.
Registration & Fees
| Number of Events Selected | Registration Fee (per child) |
|---|---|
| 1 event | ₹149 |
| 2 events | ₹249 |
| 3 – 5 events | ₹399 |
| 5+ events | ₹499 |
- Registration is complete only when all required child and parent details are submitted, the correct age group and events are selected, payment is made via the UPI code provided, and proof of payment (screenshot / UTR number) bearing the child’s name is uploaded.
- The registration fee is a flat, tiered amount based on the total number of events selected, as per the table above — not a per-event multiple.
- Fees, once paid, are strictly non-refundable and non-transferable to another child, event, or date, under any circumstance, including a change of mind, non-attendance, disqualification, or cancellation/postponement of the event (see Section 8).
- A registration is considered valid only after verification by the organizing team. Incomplete, illegible, or unverifiable payment proof may result in the registration being treated as void.
- Only one registration will be accepted per child. Duplicate or multiple registrations for the same child, including under a modified name or spelling, made to circumvent the tiered pricing structure, will be identified and consolidated at the organizers’ discretion, with the correct higher-tier fee treated as payable.
Event-Wise Rules
| Event | Min. Age | Eligible Groups |
|---|---|---|
| Pauranik Costume Competition | 0+ months | Gopalas, Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas |
| Bhagavad Gita Shloka | 3+ years | Gopalas, Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas |
| Bhajan and Kirtan | 3+ years | Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas |
| Bhoga Offering | 3+ years | Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas |
| Coloring | 5+ years | Keshavas, Govindas |
| Creative Writing | 5+ years | Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas |
| Drawing | 8+ years | Govindas, Madhavas |
| Public Speaking | 8+ years | Madhavas |
Pauranik Competition — All groups (0+ months)
- Participants are expected to dress up as any Pauranik character eg. Krishna, Radha, Hanuman, Lakshmi etc.
- Younger participants (Gopalas) may be assessed through their dressing.
- Older participants will be assessed on their knowledge of stories and pastimes from Srimad Bhagavatam, Ramayana, and other approved Vaishnava texts.
- Questions and topics will be drawn only from vedabase.io, ISKCON Desire Tree, or other organizer-approved sources.
- Time per participant and format will be communicated to registered participants before the event.
Coloring — All groups (3+ years)
- A themed coloring sheet will be provided by the organizers on the day; sheets brought from outside, or pre-colored/traced entries, will not be accepted.
- Participants must bring their own coloring materials (crayons, sketch pens, or pencil colors) unless otherwise specified.
- Entries submitted after the announced time limit will not be judged.
- Judging criteria: neatness, colour choices, and creativity, at the sole discretion of the judges.
Bhagavad Gita Shloka — Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas (3+ years)
- Participants must recite a shloka from Bhagavad-gita As It Is, chosen from a list circulated before the event.
- Judged on pronunciation, clarity and confidence; for older groups, a brief explanation of the meaning may be included as a bonus criterion.
- Use of printed text or cue cards during recitation is not permitted, except for the youngest eligible group at the organizers’ discretion.
Bhajan and Kirtan — Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas (3+ years)
- Participants may sing a devotional bhajan/kirtan of their choice, or select from an approved list; lyrics must be devotional and appropriate for a children’s event.
- Live vocals only — pre-recorded vocal tracks (lip-syncing) are not permitted. Instrumental backing tracks or live accompaniment (harmonium, mridanga, karatalas) are allowed.
- Organizers are not responsible for malfunction of personal instruments or sound equipment brought by participants.
- A time limit per participant will be communicated before the event.
Drawing — Keshavas, Govindas (5+ years)
- A theme will be announced on the spot; drawings prepared in advance will not be accepted.
- Participants must bring their own drawing materials unless otherwise informed.
- Judging criteria: relevance to theme, creativity, and neatness, within the announced time limit.
Public Speaking — Keshavas, Govindas, Madhavas (5+ years)
- Topics will be assigned in advance or chosen from an approved list circulated before the event.
- A time limit (varying by age group) will be communicated before the event; participants exceeding it may be stopped by the organizers.
- Use of written notes or cue cards is permitted only for the youngest eligible group, at the organizers’ discretion.
- Judging criteria: content, clarity of speech, confidence, and audience engagement.
Creative Writing — Govindas, Madhavas (8+ years)
- A topic will be given on the spot; pre-written entries will not be accepted.
- Participants may write in English or Hindi (or as specified); the writing must be entirely the participant’s own original work, completed within the venue.
- Any entry found to be copied, plagiarized, or substantially assisted by a parent, guardian, or tutor will be disqualified without refund.
Bhoga Offering — Madhavas (8+ years)
- The dish offered must be strictly vegetarian and sattvic — no onion, garlic, meat, egg, or alcohol-based ingredients — prepared in a manner suitable as an offering to Sri Krishna.
- The dish must be prepared substantially by the child; parental supervision is permitted only for safety reasons (e.g., use of a stove or knife) and should be kept to a minimum.
- The dish must be brought in a covered container clearly labeled with the child’s name, age group, and a full list of ingredients used, for allergen awareness.
- Basil Woods Juniors and the Hare Krishna Movement bear no responsibility for any adverse reaction, allergy, or illness arising from consumption of any offering brought by a participant.
- Judging criteria: the devotion and effort reflected in the offering, its presentation, and adherence to sattvic guidelines — not taste alone.
General Conduct Rules — Applicable to All Events
- A child may participate in multiple events, provided they are eligible for each under Section 4 and the corresponding fee tier has been paid in full.
- Only one entry per child per event is permitted; repeat attempts at the same event by the same child are not allowed.
- All content performed, written, drawn, sung or spoken must be devotional and family-appropriate, in keeping with the spirit of Krishna consciousness. Content deemed inappropriate, disrespectful, or unrelated to the event’s spirit may be stopped or disqualified at the organizers’ discretion.
- Parents/guardians of younger participants must remain within the venue premises for the duration of their child’s participation.
- Participants must report to the designated area ahead of their scheduled slot, as communicated by organizers. Late arrival may result in forfeiture of the slot, without refund.
- Costumes and props, where applicable, must be modest and age-appropriate, and must not depict or portray any deity or spiritual personality in a disrespectful or caricatured manner.
- The organizers reserve the right to modify event timings, sequence, or format on the day, due to operational requirements, with reasonable effort made to inform participants in advance.
Judging & Results
- All events will be judged by a panel appointed jointly by Basil Woods Juniors and the Hare Krishna Movement.
- The rules of each event, and the decision of the judges and organizing committee on all matters relating to eligibility, conduct, scoring and results, are final and binding. No correspondence, appeal or challenge regarding the verdict will be entertained.
- In the event of a tie, the judging panel may declare joint winners or apply an additional tie-breaker criterion, at its sole discretion.
- Certificates of participation will be provided to all registered participants; any additional recognition or prizes will be at the organizers’ discretion.
Cancellation, Postponement & Refunds
- If the Krishna Kids Carnival 2026, or any individual competition within it, is postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled for any reason whatsoever — including circumstances beyond the organizers’ control such as extreme weather, government restrictions, venue unavailability, insufficient registrations, or any other operational reason — no refund of the registration fee will be initiated under any circumstance.
- In case of postponement or rescheduling, organizers may, at their sole discretion, offer participants the option to take part on the revised date; this is offered as a courtesy and is not a guaranteed entitlement.
- Participants unable to attend on the scheduled date for any personal reason will not be entitled to a refund, credit, or transfer of their registration.
Media & Promotional Rights
- By registering for the Krishna Kids Carnival 2026, the parent/guardian grants Basil Woods Juniors and the Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON), and their authorized representatives, the right to click, record, and use photographs, video, audio, and other audio-visual content of the participant and their entries or performances, captured during the event.
- Such content may be used, without further notice or compensation, for promotional, marketing, educational, and archival purposes — including websites, social media, print material, and future event promotions of Basil Woods Juniors and the Hare Krishna Movement.
- Such content will be used solely for the purposes stated above and will not be licensed or sold to unrelated third parties.
- Parents/guardians who do not wish their child’s image or content to be used for promotional purposes should submit a written request to the organizers prior to the event. In the absence of such a request, consent under this section is deemed to have been given upon registration.
Liability
- Parents/guardians are responsible for the safety, behaviour and supervision of their child throughout the event, including travel to and from the venue.
- Basil Woods Juniors and the Hare Krishna Movement, along with their staff, volunteers and organizing committee, will not be held liable for any injury, loss, illness, or damage to person or property arising during or in connection with the event, except where caused by proven gross negligence on the part of the organizers.
- Participants and parents are expected to follow all safety instructions and venue guidelines issued by the organizing team.
General
- These Rules & Regulations may be added to, amended, or clarified by the organizing committee at any time; updates will be communicated to registered participants via WhatsApp/email where practicable.
- By completing registration and payment, the parent/guardian confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Rules & Regulations in full, on behalf of themselves and the participating child.
- Any dispute arising in connection with this event shall be resolved at the sole discretion of the organizing committee, whose decision shall be final.