Hare Krishnas in W.Va. Readmitted to Group

July 8, 2003

from The Washington Post, submitted by Mrigendra das

The Washington Post, July 18, 1998, Saturday, Final Edition

SECTION: METRO; Pg. C08; RELIGION, LENGTH: 486 words

HEADLINE: Hare Krishnas in W.Va. Readmitted to Group

After a 10-year expulsion, a Hare Krishna community in Moundsville, W.Va., has been provisionally readmitted to the international body that oversees groups affiliated with the Vaishnava Hindu order.

New Vrindavana, whose 2,000 acres make it one of the largest Krishna communities, was expelled by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness after deviating from the Hindu order's moral and theological principles, according to society spokesman Anuttama Dasa.

The community's former leader, Kirtanananda Swami, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for his 1997 conviction on federal mail fraud charges. Dasa said Kirtanananda had "set himself up as an independent authority" and introduced unapproved worship practices, such as using an organ, instead of drums, and singing Christian hymns.

Under an agreement reached July 10, New Vrindavana has agreed to accept the authority of the society, abide by state and federal laws, cooperate with other society temples and cease violating "proper Vaishnava behavior or standards of worship." During a one-year probationary period, the community also must report regularly on plans for fund-raising and maintaining its land holdings and buildings.

New Vrindavana was founded in 1968 as the Hare Krishna movement's first rural community outside India. At its peak in the 1980s, it had about 700 members and a steady stream of tourists visiting its golden temple and gardens. Today, it has about 40 resident members and 150 who live off site.

The Krishna movement, which draws its inspiration from the Bhagavad -Gita and other Vedic scriptures of India, has more than 300 temples, 40 rural communities and 26 schools in 71 countries.