My last experience with Hari Krishna’s was in the early 80′s when I was a college student at Georgia State University. Some of my adventurous, pot-smoking friends and I used to get toasted in the park in downtown Atlanta. We would frequently get approached by Krishna members and they’d invite us to eat and chant with them. We did. That was a long time ago.
Do they still party like it's 1979?
Yesterday, I was on my way to Summerfest–an arts festival in Atlanta, when I got stuck in some very nasty traffic. I sat in my car for about 10 minutes without moving an inch. I heard some faint music…rhythmic, minimal instruments, lots of drums and tambourines. I looked to my left and there they were. Right out in the street for everyone to see. Krishna’s. And they were having a party. I chose to opt out of traffic and crash the Krishna-fest.
I found a back-street and parked my car. I was greeted by my first Krishna of the day. Just what I expected. A man wearing a dress, with one of those funny pony-tails and some clay on his face.
Mayapura Dhama Das--my first Krishna of the day, and my tour guide
His name was Mayapura Dhama Das. He joined the Krishna’s at the height of their party days back in ’76. He’s some kind of priest. He offered his service as my tour guide. Here’s what I didn’t expect. He was a down to earth, kind of normal, really happy guy. Just look at him!
Turns out this wasn’t just a regular party I was crashing. This was a three day Festival of India. He invited me to check it out and allowed me unfettered access to take photos of anything. Cool. At first glance, it looked like any other festival, only this one had a decidedly India theme.
A Festival with booths....go figure!
There was face painting. The Krishna’s call this “tilaka” and they mark all the sacred parts of the body.
Spiritual Face Painting
There were children.
Krishna kiddies
There was even a princess or two. Krishna’s called her a “Mataji.”
Mataji
This was beginning to look awfully normal to me. Where’s all the weird stuff? How come nobody’s trying to recruit me and get me to sell my stuff and shun my family? That’s when Mayapura Dhama Das took me inside the Krishna Temple. Okay, here it comes. I remove my shoes, bow to who knows what when I went in the door, and I was allowed to witness a very special ceremony.
Alter inside the Krishna
His Grace Jayapataka Maha Raj, was leading a ceremony where a couple was formally receiving their Krishna names. His Grace is considered a “Great King” or “Swami.”
Couple receiving the Krishna names
Okay, not too weird. I’ve been to Baptisms and I’ve been to a briss or two. So far, this just seems religious. No group sex, no hooka smoking and people were definitely not being forced to do anything. I’m baffled. This is not what I expected from the Krishna’s.
The parade was a big part of the day, as it is at most festivals worth their salt. This one had a float, sort of.
Krisha Parade Float
Okay, it’s really more of a chariot than a float and they only had one. But theirs has diety’s of God, and his wife and a eerily realistic, life-size figure of Swami Prabhupada…the founder of Krishna, or Krsna.
His Divine Grace...Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
This is no motorized float. The Krishna pull this float with ropes. In fact, pulling the rope is a very big deal. I’ll try to get this right. They believe that if you pull the rope, then you will not have to experience birth again, except a spiritual birth. I guess this is the Christian equivalent of salvation. You better believe I pulled that rope!
Pull that rope!
They chanted, sang, played percussion instruments and danced while the chariot made its’ way through the already traffic plagued streets of Atlanta.
Dancing in the Streets!
All of this made Mayapura Dhama Das very happy. He seemed to know everyone there, and there were several hundred people there. “This is a big family reunion,” he said, “These are all my family, my friends.”
Openly happy all day long!
Hmmmm. I don’t have 500 friends.
Throughout my couple of hour visit Mayapura Dhama Das did his best to enlighten me about his purpose and the purpose of Krishna. He told me that all are servant and only by blessing can one attain spiritual advancement. He said that Krishna is about the “entire science of self-realization.” I’ve got pages of notes that I took, but I’m not here to evangalize for the Krishnas. If you want to know more about them you can go to www.krsna.com.
This was an unexpected experience. I spent a few hours with people that were happy, friendly and openly welcoming. They didn’t try to recruit me and they no longer hang out in airports. In fact, most of what they practice is preached and happening in Christian Church’s all over the world. No sex outside of marriage, they’re vegetarians, and they practice yoga.
With the exception of the clothes, these people were alot like me.
Cheers,
Jim
Hare Krishna!
we loved hearing from your point of view, especially since you had a good time!
on behalf of some of us who think becoming Krishna-conscious is a profoundly happy choice, for this life and all cosmic dimensions, and who can’t help loving to share the bliss, thanks for posting the nice review and the great pictures…
Lord Jagannath is the very very ancient well-wishing “Smile of the Universe”, He and His brother and sister come outside the Temples and cruise the streets every year, now thanks to Srila Prabhupada not just in India but all over the world, to smile at all the people and offer them benediction.
there are many concentric circles, and ‘fringeys’ in the Movement, it only takes ‘being favorable’ to be family with us – Welcome!
Dear Jim. Thankyou for such an open-minded view of your experience with Krsna and his devotees. It’s very rare in this material world that you”ll find anyone who is willing to pull themselves away from their sense-gratifying activities and sacrifice some time for The Supreme Lord. Eating, mating, sleeping and defending ( according to the ancient Vedic knowledge) are simply animalistic propensities. We, as spirit souls, are meant for far superior activities than these. We are all princes of one Supreme King. We’ve simply forgotten our Father because we wanted a place where we could enjoy separate from Him. However, after millions of births and millions of years …we finally come to the realization that we miss Him terribly and we love Him. As devotees, we are simply spiritual advisors…well-wishers to all living entities. We are simply humble servants to our most humble guru…A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and servants to all of your readers as well. Hare Krsna!
HARE KRSNA
THNAK YOU JIM FOR TELLING PEOPLE -WHAT
I ALREADY FOUND OUT IN THE 1970′S
PEACE—FROM/USA Ex-pat- JAYA MADHAVA DAS-(ACBSP) MOSCOW RUSSIA
Dear Jim, the proper url is http://www.krishna.com
Thanks for this entertaining blog!
Great article, expertly written.
Dear Jim,
You have been observing very expertly.
The Devoties of Krishna are very normal people.
They have a very normal life like anyone (maybe more normal than some).
I am a truckdriver for more than 30 years, and I am a Hare Krishna for 24 years. So anyone can be…
I think you are also…in the heart.
Anyone who is not envious towards the devotees or Krishna is close to salvation.
I even think you have 500 friends….and more.
Your friend, Aryan
Jim – Thanks for the nice piece on the Hare’s. I’ve just had an equally good time at the Festival of India in NYC. Aryan’s correct, you have at least 501 friends. And let’s not forget Krishna Himself, your Dearmost Friend. Haribol!
To all my new Krishna friends…thanks for the kind words. I was a little nervous about how you might receive my post, and I’m very pleased with your responses. I learned a lot that day…not just about Krishna, but about acceptance, spirituality and my own thoughts on God. I am humbled by your graciousness and will visit again.
Hare Krishna!
Jim
hare krishna jim,
another ‘hare’ commenting on your blog. very nice and i’m glad you learned so much. feel free to visit the atlanta temple on sundays, as they always have a free vegetarian feast you would enjoy. the address is 1287 S. Ponce de Leon Ave, Atlanta.
thanks for your open-mindedness and please come again. hare krishna!
Hi Jim,
This was such a nice little article. I appreciated the photographs and the objective and honest observations. It makes me happy to see that there are still persons out there who can be properly received by a devotional community. And it makes me happy to see that there are devotional communities out there who can properly receive new people.
Much of what you’ve written about and many of the photographs you’ve posted remind me of my time growing up around Hare Krsna devotees. With all of the horrible things that have happened, and all of the horrible people that have exploited and manipulated others in the name of Krsna over the years (every organization has its scandals, no?), it’s warming to see that there still exists a core of genuine spiritual personalities.
I thought, after reading your piece, that perhaps it was time to re-visit my Hare Krishna roots. My gratitude to you for that gentle inspiration. Hare Krsna!
Regards,
Sundar
Jim
Thanks, for an excellent article on the “Hare Krishna” I am not a person of religon but, your article was interesting and educational.
Thank you
PS… Write On With Your Magical Pen
Hare Krishna Jim!
It was an absolute delight reading your journal. Objectivity and Open mindedness about religion are two rare qualities seen these days.
The fact that you respect devotees and do not harbor any grudges against them make you a very suitable candidate for receiving God’s unlimited and causeless mercy.
Thanks for posting this account.