We look forward to welcoming you to the Nagar Yatra which will take place on the morning of Saturday 5 September and hope you have a wonderful and memorable experience.

To help everyone enjoy the event safely and comfortably, please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the following information:

We humbly encourage everyone to come prepared, arrive on time, and enjoy this special occasion together.

You may bring essential personal belongings, but we recommend travelling light as there is no facility to store personal items during the procession; you will have to keep all your belongings with you at all times.

We kindly request that participants wear traditional Indian attire for the event. Where possible, please choose colours from the event palette provided.

The colour palette is recommended to help create the overall visual effect, but please do not worry if you do not have these exact colours available in your wardrobe. Please wear comfortable, weather-appropriate footwear as there will be several hours of walking outdoors.

Late arrivals are welcome where possible; however, all participants are strongly encouraged to arrive by the stated registration time – starting at 8.00am – to allow sufficient time for registration and to be organised within your allocated zone before the procession begins. Late arrival may result in reduced participation, and, if the procession has already started, you may not be able to join your allocated group and may instead be directed to the nearest designated observation point.

The Nagar Yatra will begin at École Militaire, located approximately 35 kilometres from BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir, Paris. BAPS will not be arranging transport into Central Paris for the Nagar Yatra, so participants are responsible for making their own way to the starting point.

We highly recommend using the Metro/RER public transport network to travel into Central Paris. Alternatively, participants may book a taxi/rideshare or drive and arrange their own parking. Please allow sufficient time for your journey and plan your route in advance to ensure you arrive at the starting point on time.

For ease of travel, please read the important travel information provided on the Festival de la Culture website, including guidance on how to download and use the Île-de-France Mobilités app on your device. Alternatively, you can purchase a physical Navigo card when you arrive in Paris. Please note: only one Navigo pass can be used per person, with children aged 4 and under travelling free.

The exact starting location for the Nagar Yatra is École Militaire, 1 Pl. Joffre, Paris 75007, France. The procession will then proceed through the streets of Paris.

We strongly recommend that you top up your Navigo pass and complete all necessary travel arrangements before the event day to help ensure a smooth and stress-free journey.

Please find below suggested routes to the start location. These have guide journey times only. Please ensure you check your preferred route and travel arrangements before leaving to allow for any disruptions or delays.

When you arrive at Swaminarayan Village, the Festival de la Culture site, for your initial registration, the team will confirm and verify your booking for the Nagar Yatra. Thereafter, you will be provided with the exact number of food tokens that reflect the number of individuals booked under that registration.

Breakfast will not be provided on the morning of the Nagar Yatra at the Festival site; instead, pre-arranged breakfast packs will be available for collection at Yogi Bhojanshala after the Krishna Janmashtami evening programme the day before, Friday 4 September. Please note that on that day, the food will not be faral, so please ensure not to eat any of the food items from that pack on that day.

One food pack will be served per token and only to those who present their token at the time of collection. No food packs can be given to those without a token.

One person can collect their food packs on behalf of their families as long as they present all tokens registered to their booking.

Lunch packs will be provided on the day of the Nagar Yatra to each attendee as they arrive at the end point of the Nagar Yatra. We encourage all families to eat their food packs in the open garden areas at the end point, but please be sure to leave the space litter-free.

We thank you for your consideration and for following the guidance above.

There are limited public toilet facilities along the route.

No special-assistance facilities will be available.

Participation is voluntary and at the individual’s own risk.

First aid support will be available during the Nagar Yatra. If you require medical assistance, please approach your Group Lead, who will be able to provide support and contact the appropriate team, if required.

The Nagar Yatra is a continuous, moving procession lasting approximately 3 hours at a slow walking pace, with no designated seating or rest areas. If you feel you may no longer be able to participate as a walker, please email info@bapsmandirparis.fr so we can register you as a spectator instead. This way, you can still enjoy and experience the event without taking part in the walking procession.

Wheelchair and pram users are very welcome to participate; however, please be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide any assistance required, as volunteers are unable to provide individual mobility support.

Some sections of the route may be uneven or not fully level.

If the full procession does not feel suitable, there is also the option to observe from designated viewing points. Please select this option when registering.

The Nagar Yatra will proceed unless instructed otherwise by the French Authorities. Any changes will be communicated through our dedicated ‘Festival de la Culture’ app as well as email and Telegram. Please ensure your contact details are up to date. We strongly advise checking the weather beforehand to ensure you are dressed appropriately for the weather conditions.

As Nagar Yatra participants, we represent BAPS and our wider community to the public of Paris. Please help us make this a safe, joyful and dignified occasion for everyone.

For further questions not covered in this guide, please refer to our full FAQs page.