An Abode for Krishna

BY: ANURADHA MANE

Dec 8, PUNE, INDIA (NEWSLINE) — Puneites can gear up for another divine experience as ISKCON will build a sprawling temple in the city.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, popularly known as ISKCON, has always been a divine abode for spiritual causes. Over the years, it has also successfully managed to build a devotional community that treats all visitors as a single family. And now, ISKCON will be building a landmark temple in Kondhwa. The four-acre temple complete with meditation and prayer hall, a Balaji temple, a cultural university, restaurant and guesthouse, will also have the Vedic Oasis for Inspiration, Culture and Education (VOICE).

And it sure promises to be an experience for ardent devotees: The restaurant, for instance, will offer lacto-vegetarian fare in a jubilant devotional setting. The guesthouse will be a comfortable spiritual retreat within the temple premises. In addition to this, there will also be a Diorama exhibition that will exhibit sacred scriptures through a three-dimensional display. There will also be a Prasadam Hall that will have the capacity to accommodate thousands of devotees for Krishna-Prasad on Sundays and festivals.

“Through this temple, we want to train the visitors in the philosophical and practical principles of Vedic literature. The education will not be just another way of imposing Vedic culture on them, but an instruction based on logic and reasoning,” says Vrajendra Nandan Das, director, ISKCON national communication. “It was the dream of the Founder Acharya of the Society, Srila Prabhupada to set up a magnificent temple in Pune. His desire is being fulfilled by his disciples Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj and Radhanath Swami Maharaj, who are serving in the Governing Body Commission of Pune,” he adds.

The temple will also boast a multimedia theatre with a hi-tech set up to help devotees to understand and experience Vedic spirituality through dramas, puppet shows and music. Another reason for the expansion plans is the space limitation that ISKCON faces in its present premises. “That is preventing us from reaching out to as many people as we want to,” adds Das.

The work on the temple will start in March 2007 and the target for completion is three years, “We are also looking for donors for the new temple. Those interested can donate in cash or kind like bricks, steel cement and so on. All donations will be exempt under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act,” adds Das.