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New Krishna temple to open in Washington DC
After the grand opening on Mar. 22, a special VIP opening will take place on Apr. 6
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A sample image of the new temple / Courtesy Photo
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known as the Hare Krishna Movement, is launching a new temple building in Washington DC’s suburb of Potomac, Maryland, on March 22, Friday.
During the opening ceremony, traditional Vaishnava Hindu ceremonies such as Agni-Hotra (fire ceremony), Vastu Puja (offering prayers to the four directions and natural elements), and extended kirtans (musical glorification of the names of God) will take place.
After the temple’s grand opening, a special VIP opening will take place on Apr. 6 for political leaders and representatives from academic, faith, and religious freedom communities.
Washington saw its first Krishna Temple in 1969 on P Street in a rented property. It moved to Q Street in 1973 and Potomac, Maryland, in 1976, where it is standing on 12 acres of wooded property.
“On major holidays, like Krishna Janmashtami (Lord Krishna’s birthday) we host up to 8,000 congregants and visitors,” said Ananda Vrindavan, ISKCON Temple president, as per an official statement.
“We’ve struggled for years to accommodate everyone, and we are excited to share this new facility with our community,” he added.
The 11,200 sq. ft. new building boasts many features, including elaborate arches and columns, extensive use of marble, and traditional temple domes.
People can buy souvenirs from the gift shop, get learning from classrooms, and a large commercial kitchen aimed at supporting the temple's efforts to distribute free food.
“When I became a Krishna devotee in 1975, we were criticized for what were considered exotic practices like vegetarianism, mantra meditation, abstinence from alcohol, drugs, gambling, and illicit sex, as well as our beliefs in karma and reincarnation,” said Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON minister of communications.
“Now when I meet people, they often ask me about karma, how to chant mantras, or they ask for some good vegetarian recipes. Times have changed," he added.
ISKCON first came to the USA in the 1960s, with its members singing 'Hare Krishna' mantras on the streets of major cities and overzealous distribution of religious books.
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