It was the Taj Mahal of Appalachia, Heaven on Earth in Almost Heaven West Virginia, a sprawling, opulent affair with lush gardens, a beautiful temple, a palace of gold, accommodations for hundreds of devotees, statues of Radha and Krishna, and even, at one point, an elephant. 1 / 5
New Vrindaban named after a holy town in India was the largest Hare Krishna commune in America, and was opened to the public in 1979. It was led by Swami Bhaktipada, one of the movement s earliest and most controversial American disciples, who died Monday. And it was less than two hours from the West Virginia town where I grew up. My family went there often in those first years, ferrying carloads of Indian friends and relatives who came to see us (and the palace) from all around the United States. My parents and their friends were part of the first wave of Indians to arrive in America after the 1965 Immigration Act loosened restrictions on South Asians. This new immigrant community, just putting down roots, had very few places to worship; there were hardly any Hindu temples in America. For them, New Vrindaban provided an opportunity to pray in a proper mandir instead of at a makeshift altar in someone s basement. 2 / 5
And it was also breathtakingly beautiful. Situated at the very top of a hill (which some said resembled the foothills of the Himalayas), the palace was replete with stained-glass windows, crystal chandeliers, marble floors and gold-leaf decorations. Even our family members from India, who had all heard of the Palace of Gold, wanted to see it. For many, a trip there was more than a sightseeing excursion: it was a kind of pilgrimage. But not for me and my brother. We hated those trips. If New Vrindaban was a source of comfort for our parents, it was a source of shame for us. We thought the Hare Krishnas were freaks, fake Indians aping Indian ways. Not that we wanted anything to do with real Indians, either. We wanted to be home watching TV. We would only grudgingly pile into the car for the drive, then sulk as we snaked our way up the Ohio River, through the small towns of rural Appalachia, and into the panhandle. 3 / 5
At to deliberately When they summers them? My themselves religious desperately my parents considered school my commune, practices inner parents must after garbled trying functions. tubing renting Indians have we tried to and assimilate. saw even on been to We a mumbled the white send cabin saw dressing both river. their my women by Americans proud under Why brother own in commune s traditional wearing children and couldn t my and chanting confused breath me the were Indian lake, to during do very ecstatically summer flatly to that? we see clothing, saris my rejecting protested. Why these I camp family s begged adopting couldn t the white Indian there, weekly same Our my Americans classmates Indian culture mother Sanskrit be pujas refused. more customs and not at modeling I home. like spent When wear and This when devotees, small New into But They Krishna movement Virginia now elephants, a disrepair. approaching was Vrindaban went town few he was devotee. long months my because but that had indicted family before she started grown, her was That its ago, said list my had no former we on my so in of longer she stopped knew federal America sacred perhaps cousin, parents glory. saw new anything was a racketeering sites going The who is peacock. my went and visiting amazing parents gardens has exciting. about to even New from lived to charges more Swami felt are Vrindaban. India me. her The less once so. whole That sheen Bhaktipada s and stemming of My again a the she life The mom need had Hare wanted tended, South worn India, said from to for Krishna legal find the that off. Asian the to belongs verdant. community first troubles. see The murders the temple time population it. commune place to She There in By a of in elsewhere. many Hindu is was West 1990, two were a was Hare falling years. our no 4 / 5
As India while different myself favorites. It We hoping we then, when Vrindaban Rahul If bottom makes you for could palace. might frequently after there, me, Mehta enjoyed particularly we d of from me secret not all. I made the We d was no follow glimpse smile is what have What page longer the this with into so them heard a drawn now even much author article, rigid our my and a feel glimmer, Hare to it temple partner, pockets gotten schedule to click about was remember a of rich. chanting. or distinction Krishnas the real on"submit you gave America out Robert. short and flake gold. of wish them how take meditation In in story between forgotten So fact, New We miserable car back wasn t comment". collection make like Hare Vrindaban were would home. being and to somewhere them much, a it visit Krishna, my comment, spiritual not walk Quarantine. Indian We feel Thankyou. brother yoga a might for day weren t around lonely Hare and ashrams instruction trip, follow. and a please thing: being corner, Ram and so staring now I were different Of insignificant, the scroll and American. has perhaps all the something at gold at then. become Himalayas New down from leaf activities, marble not But Vrindaban. I our New that travel precious to so one parents, the floors, covered and, a I of to time find my 5 / 5