Hare Krishnas And A Doomed Temple

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November 12, 2003 VNN8447

 

Hare Krishnas And A Doomed Temple

 

FROM THE MOSCOW TIMES

 

MOSCOW, RUSSIA, Nov 12 (VNN) — By Maria Danilova, Staff Writer

 

Worship for Moscow's 30,000 Hindus and Hare Krishna devotees could be

under threat, as the city's only Hare Krishna temple is to be

demolished to make way for a luxury high-rise block.

 

The Stalin-era building near Begovaya metro station, which has served

as a temple for the mostly Indian and Russian congregation for the

past 13 years, is now encircled by a 3-meter-high fence as the

wrecking ball prepares to swing.

 

"This is the only place in Moscow where we can practice our rituals,"

said Sanjeet Jha, president of the Association of Indians in

Russia. "But with this fence and the threat of all communications

being cut off in the near future, this is becoming a religious

ghetto."

 

In April, City Hall promised to provide an alternative site for the

construction of a Vedic Cultural Center, including a place of worship

for members of the Russian chapter of the International Society for

Krishna Consciousness.

 

The site, a hectare of land on Leningradsky Prospekt next to the CSKA

sports stadium, would accommodate up to 700 worshipers, the

community's spokesman Igor Anikanov said.

 

But the new center has attracted protests from lawmakers and other

religions. A group of State Duma deputies, calling itself "In Support

of Traditional Spiritual and Moral Values in Russia," together with

the Inter-Religious Council, has decried the proposal.

 

"Russia has only four traditional religions: Christianity, Islam,

Judaism and Buddhism," said Oleg Yefimov, the group's

secretary. "This is confirmed by Russia's 1,000-year history."

 

Hare Krishna followers and traditional Hindus alike are worried about

the future of their communities if a new center is not found.

 

"Not only Indians, but all people practicing Hinduism will be cut off

from their culture and religion," Jha said. "We have children we want

to raise with a knowledge and understanding of their culture. And

where will they go if this place is no longer present?"

 

Anikanov said the Hare Krishna community has a consistent record of

charity work, providing free food to people affected by the conflict

in Chechnya and opening a Hindu school.

 

© The Moscow Times