ALBUQUERQUE, NM - This past week, the residents of the Hare Krishna temple vacated their three story building located in the busy heart of downtown. They have relocated forty-five minutes north, along the interstate off exit 154, between Pooja Imports Food Market and Patel Bazaar.
“It was becoming increasingly difficult to preach inside of a city with so many people,” relates Subhash Jeevanandam, temple president. “The philosophy is so nice that if you preach to them, they want to join up, they want to keep coming back. That becomes big, big expense.”
In order to curtail such a frivolous use of money, the temple management board unanimously voted to move the temple way the hell outside of town where “nobody will find us.”
The Hindu Laxmi Mission Cultural Center co-sponsored the building after the Krishnas agreed to fill half the slots on their temple board with the Mission’s highest-ranking officials.
“Now, we can do fund raising exclusively within the Hindu community,” said Bipal Patel, temple board member. “All of our monetary needs are met through samskaras and birthday parties. What need do we have for street preaching and book distribution?”
The Hare Krishnas had been long-time residents of downtown Albuquerque opening their temple in 1972. Since then, devotees had been a staple of city life. The free Sunday “Love Feasts” were attended and appreciated by city-bound followers, the homeless, curious passers-by and neighborhood residents.
“Yes, many people would come,” said Mr. Patel. “But you would have to preach to them and give them free food and sometimes free books. They had no money for donations. Did they think we were in the business of liberally distributing the Lord’s mercy for free?”
Chris Jenkins, who regularly attended the Sunday feast program, claims that he will miss the downtown temple, “I can’t make it all the way the hell out there on Sunday nights. I work the next morning.”
Temple board members conceded that they will lose some city devotees, but did not express concern. “The city devotees were not self sufficient. They would come and eat our Sunday feast and give only a little donation or maybe buy a book.”
Temple president, Jeevanandam continued, “They could not sponsor feasts or ceremonies. They did not even want car pooja. How are they not wanting car pooja - so fallen! Not only does our new congregation demand car pooja, they sponsor the feasts, and cook them too.”
Since the new congregation is not preached to, book sales have plummeted. The temple has even returned several pallets of unneeded books to the BBT.
“What were we going to do with them?” asked Mr. Patel. “Our congregation now is Hindu, what need do we have for Srila Prabhupada? His books won’t bring as much money as maha-kalasha or pooja thali. Prabhupada always said to do the needful, but what is the need for so many books way the hell outside of town?”
On the first Sunday night without a downtown free feast in 36 years, a crowd gathered near the closed down and boarded up ex-temple. Several brought drums and finger cymbals. One long time attendee softly sang the Hare Krishna mantra as other wiped tears from their eyes before singing along.
“It’s a shame they had to do this,” said Bonnie Clarkson, another weekly attendee from the city temple, “I was really taking to the philosophy. It seemed perfect.” Adding, “maybe we’ll go check out the Narayana Maharaja folks or the Ritviks, at least they still seem to be preaching. Plus they’re not way the hell outside of town.”
Print This Article
Email This Article
20 responses so far ↓
1 Rati // Sep 12, 2008 at 9:52 am
Thank God they’ve gotten away from those pesky new people. People who start coming to the temple inevitably end up wanting to do devotional service, or be put on payroll (see previous article) both of which can be disastrous.
2 Nandini // Sep 12, 2008 at 10:52 am
It is so reflective of present Iskcon that it is not even funny. Literally.
3 lgh // Sep 12, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Car Pooja. So easy, a bhakta could do it.
4 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:58 pm
At the local Laguna temple the Indian community distributes free books that they pay for themselves to anyone who wants one, regardless of race. They donate most of the food, string the flower garlands, cook the feast, distribute the feast to the guests, chant their rounds all 16 of them, read Srila Prabhupada’s books, hold Bhagavad-Gita class each week, donate the money to build up and fix up the temple. It’s a little different where I live.
5 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 13, 2008 at 12:06 am
The Indian Community in Laguna loves ISKCON, loves Srila Prabhupada, welcomes everyone regardless of race. They are kind and inspiration to me. Actually it is hard to go there because I feel deeply embarrased whenever I see them. How dare I call myself a devotee or an initiated disciple, when I don’t actually follow the principles, and they do.
I do notice that they are a bit put off by devotees who are crazy, or guests who come that indigent, or don’t bathe. Can you blame them?
Nobody is perfect. Everyone has flaws. I think the local Indian Community tries really hard. They have taken up a discarded Movement that none of the original devotees seem to want anymore.
6 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 13, 2008 at 12:40 am
But still there is one thing I have noticed that is disturbing to me about the local Indian Community, besides the fact that they make up 95% of the congregation. I have noticed that the Indian temple managers place anyone with an advanced college degree in a higher position that someone who actually practices Krishna Consciousness. I have noticed this happening more than once.
In other words if you hold a Doctorate in Biophysics you are considered learned, and even qualified to speak on Bhagavad-Gita, as opposed to older devotees who dedicated years of service to the Krishna Consciousness Movement. That is an odd and disturbing development to me.
7 ameyatma das // Sep 13, 2008 at 9:46 am
All Glories to ISKCON-Founder Acharya - HDG ACBS Prabhupad.
This is just not funny, at all — ; )
Why do I say that? Because my family and I are struggling to start a Prabhupadanuga center here in ABQ. We are doing some book distribution and will be holding regular Hari Nam soon, now that the UNM classes have started.
What is odd is that our real goal is to move the temple Way The Hell Out of The City. For real. Someday I pray to be able to start a working VAD community way the hell of the city… Anyway, right now we are just holding Sunday programs on a regular basis. I just got the domain http://www.RKTabq.com (RadhaKrsna Temple of Albuquerque), but it will take a week or so to get the time to put a website up there.
(NOTE : This is not a Rant or a Rave, it is just a humble PLUG).
8 Devak // Sep 13, 2008 at 12:18 pm
As we all know the Indian community has a centuries old history of honoring various caste systems.
If you just heard of KC yesterday and walk into a Temple and announce that you are a doctor, at the end of that same day you’re the new Temple president.
Hmmm….that gives me an idea…
9 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 13, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Why not get the hell way out of town. It’s been the ambition of many devotees for years to get temples out of teeming cities and into quite places out in the country. But most devotees were penniless, so it generally was an impractical idea. We only have one Ambarish Prabhu to go around for all of ISKCON’s needs, but he spends all his dough building huge temples in India, while good olde ISKCON America crumbles. Three chears to the Indian Community for buying cheap land outside of the cities and building beautiful Vedic Temples. I just hope the white people are still invited and welcome.
10 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 13, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I remember hitch hiking through Albuquerque back in 1969, a year before I became a devotee. Your picture above is exactly what Albuquerque looked like back then. There were three stops signs and a few dusty pueblos, and then you were back into the desert again.
11 hopi108 // Sep 13, 2008 at 9:46 pm
i find this article apropos of my recent attempt to find the hare krsna temple in seattle, since i will be going there next week and wanted to visit. typing ‘iskconseattle.com’ as a url redirected me to the vedic cultural center website, which is apparently the new hare krishna temple in the region.
the website doesn’t make much mention of iskcon or srila prabhupada, although a visit by hh bhakti vikasa swami is featured prominently on the home page.
there is also a link to a recent article about the new temple, describing how the local hare krsna movement was in shambles, and the indian immigrant devotees revived it to the point where it is now thriving there.
it looks like a great place, and i would like to go check it out if time permits me, but it wasn’t exactly what i was expecting to find when i did my search.
12 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 13, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Sorry Devak you have to have an advanced doctorate in say Electrical Engineering from a top Indian University, and to be born in a Brahmin family to be able to lead Bhagavad-Gita class. You can’t just be an ordinary doctor, and definitely not white.
13 Devak // Sep 14, 2008 at 2:46 am
Well, Boy-R-D [Suresh], maybe I could hold the fan and turn the page for the new Maharaj. What an honor that would be!
I played a Dr. in a high school play. Does that count for anything?
I guess it’s back to sweeping out the prasadam hall as usual. Could you help me?
14 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 14, 2008 at 2:32 pm
My point is the Indians are guaranteed to screw up ISKCON too, in entirely new and creative ways. It’s just human nature and a matter of time. It won’t matter if the temples stay inside the cities or move way the hell out of town either.
From The Hing editors - Please be mindful that the difference between “Indians” and “Hindus” is an important one. “Indians” suggests race, while “Hinduism” suggests belief. This article is about *belief* not about race. Ok? Seriously, NOT about race. Racism, which is what you are hinting at, is absolutely not welcome here. But the screaming frog is always welcome.
15 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 14, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Sometimes I wish there was a delete/edit key like in Hing’s secret hidden Forum. I really regret my mean spirited comments.
I wish the Indian Vaishnavas who are taking over all the ISKCON temples and moving them the hell way out of town all success in their endevours.
I hope they do a better job than we did, and that they are in fact so successful that in the future all the disenchanted older ISKCON devotees come back and participate again.
16 Nandini // Sep 15, 2008 at 11:46 am
Saw a film yesterday, “Tropic Thunder”. Lots of characters dealing with identity crisis, mixing up acting with role-playing,”Am I this, am I not that? Can I become? If I only were. Please help me be”, etc. There was one named Simple Jack.
Eric, our director, facilitates our own Simple Suresh.
17 Boy-R-D dasa (not the chef) // Sep 15, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I didn’t know my comments were racist, so I was just trying to apologize here, so I wouldn’t get banned. Anyway the top-secret hidden forum at Hing will be gone soon, and you will never have to see or hear from me again.
18 Nandini // Sep 15, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Yr cmmnts r nt rcst, jst dwn mrnc.
Th mkrs f tht flm gt n trbl fr chrctrzng rtrds. Myb wll t.
[From The Hing editors - This comment has been disemvoweled. May we suggest Cat Vs. Printer as a viable alternative?]
19 Devak // Sep 15, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I didn’t think that Boy RDs comments were ‘racist’ either. Maybe they were a bit sharp and off the cuff but that’s about it.
Calling Boy RD ‘Simple Suresh’……was that tactful?
Is everyone walking on eggs now? Hmmm
20 Nandini // Sep 15, 2008 at 3:42 pm
A bit “sharp”? Like the inside of a banana flavor jello brain? That “sharp”?
You bet “Simple Suresh” was tactful.
[From The Hing editors - There was more to this comment, but we're not doing that here anymore. There are other, better places with more visibility for that. Instead, may we suggest some cute raccoons.]
Leave a Comment - If you have something to say, make sure it's topical and not just ranting. Rants will be deleted or edited. Ok? Ok! Keep it clean and keep it fun. Play along or take it somewhere else. See "Policy" for more details.