To arrive at New Vrindaban, Ethan and I drove for hours along winding one-lane roads with hairpin turns, up and down hills so steep I wasn’t sure my car could handle them. I held my breath in fear that at any moment another car might careen around the corner and smash into us. Peering through the window, I caught glimpses of trailers settled in between the thick stands of trees. There was no phone service or shoulder to pull off; it would be a rough place to get in an accident.
We rounded a corner and there before us was a domed golden palace. Gardens and a lake stretched in front of it, with swans and peacocks strutting about. Exotic statues dotted the lawn, from cows to elephants to dancing goddesses. What on earth is this doing here, tucked away in this unknown corner of West Virginia?!
We can thank the Hare Krishna community and followers of Srila Prabhupada. In the 1960s, an aging Prabhupada found himself called to spread the message of Krishna consciousness to the English-speaking world. He was so impassioned by the mission that he left behind his life and family in India. At the age of sixty-nine, he boarded a steamship for New York, vulnerable and without connections. Despite suffering two heart attacks during the voyage, he made it to New York alive and soon found himself a sparse apartment on the Lower East Side.
Against all odds, Prabhupada began to attract followers. We can at least partially attribute his success to the free-spirited and soul-searching vibe of the late 1960s. Within a couple years, had launched one of the fastest-growing spiritual movements in the history of the world: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more commonly known as the Hare Krishna.
Among his most famous followers were The Beatles. John Lennon not only invited Prabhupada as a house guest, he had a Temple on his estate where Prabhupada gave lectures 3-4 times per week.
So where does West Virginia come into play? The Hare Krishna community lives very humbly and their only income is donations from various volunteer endeavours. In 1968, some of the New York devotees came across an ad for cheap land in West Virginia, and recognized it as a good opportunity to begin a peaceful and self-sufficient farming community. When I say “cheap”, I mean they purchased the land for $1/acre. Pretty good deal.
The lush countryside of West Virginia reminded Prabhupada of the holy land in India called Vrindavan, where Krishna is said to have spent his childhood. Thus he named it New Vrindaban. It was envisioned to be a sacred village for cow protection, simple living, holy pilgrimage, spiritual education, and, above all, loving Krishna. It is now a pilgrimage site that is open to all.
The palace was built in Prabhupada’s honor by his devotees. It was initially meant to be his dwelling place, however the guru passed away before its completion. Nonetheless, his devotees continued their work on turning this into one of the great architectural wonders of our country. Incredibly, no professional architects or builders were involved, and there wasn’t even a blueprint drawn up.
The palace is truly an incredible feat, every inch hand-crafted with fine detail. From its intricately carved wooden doors to colorful stained glass and marble floors, it was a sight like I’d never seen in the United States. Our tour was led by a friendly monk who had been a devotee since the late 60’s. He told us all kinds of amazing stories about his own personal experiences in temples all over the world. He has experienced miracles and is absolutely passionate about his faith.
After the tour he even walked us down to the temple and recounted for us many stories from the mythology of Krishna. It was fascinating to hear tales about fighting off snake demons and turning into a half-lion. The art in the temple is colorful and spectacular. And of course, the food is the tastiest that you’ll get anywhere. The Hare Krishnas are the best vegetarian cooks in the world, and they’re more than happy to share the feast.
I’d only meant to stop for a short palace tour, but we wound up spending the entire day in New Vrindaban. It was unexpectedly amazing, educational and peaceful. A spiritual gem hidden in the hills.
After the palace tour, a female monk gifted me a necklace made of fresh roses. When she placed it around my neck I was engulfed by the most lovely scent in the world and immediately fell into a state of bliss and peace.
Boose on the Loose 