Moscow devotees to Hold All-night Vigil

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Moscow Krishnas to Hold All-night Vigil in Hope to Save Historical Temple

 

 

On Saturday, December 27, hundreds of lamps will light up in the only

Krishna temple of Moscow,which is facing imminent demolition. The ancient

Vedic nama-yajna ritual and joint prayers for protection is the last bid of

the desperate Krishna devotees to preserve their temple for over 25,000

followers of Vaishnavism in the Russian capital.

 

Hundreds of resident Indian and Russian devotees

are expected to attend the ceremony.

Participating will also be many veterans of the

Hare Krishna movement in Russia, who were

severely persecuted for their faith under the

former Communist regime. Now the ex-prisoners of

conscience may have to stand up again for what

they were already thrown in jails and mental

clinics some 20 years ago.

 

In 1990, when it was set up in the two-storey

dilapidated building at Khoroshovskoye shosse,

the Krishna temple became the very first center

of Hinduism in the former Soviet Union. Now,

surrounded by growling bulldozers of the

"Donstroi" construction giant, it may soon become

the very first Hindu temple in the West ever

destroyed by authorities.

 

Earlier this year the Moscow government allocated

a plot of land for the construction of the new

Vedic cultural centre, where the present Krishna

temple was to be shifted to. The decision brought

joy to the local Hindu community and was

appreciated by the government of India. However,

soon a protest campaign orchestrated by

nationalistic politicians on the eve of the

parliament elections put the decision on an

indefinite hold. To date, the government has not

passed the final approval for the title transfer.

 

In the meantime, desperate appeals of the Hare

Krishna followers in Moscow to avert demolition

of their only shrine get no response from the

Mayor's office.