Last night, a bunch of us visited the ISKCON temple in Atlanta. It was Janmashtami and the celebrations at ISKCON are legendary. The festivities were scheduled to kick off at 6 pm with dance, music and other cultural programs. We reached there around 8 and caught the last part of a dance recital. Then everyone trooped to the temple where the pooja was going on. The marble-floored hall was packed and there was barely any place to stand. As the evening progressed, the crowd only got thicker. What struck me as utterly beautiful was the profusion of non-Indian people. Of the three main priests, two were Afro-American and one was a white American. Most of the temple staff were American and so were a lot of the devotees. There were entire American families, each member wearing the trademark ISKCON sandalwood paste mark on their foreheads. The atmosphere was full of joy and celebration. Around 9 pm, the deities were brought out of the temple into the pandal and the abhishekam started. The deities were bathed with an assortment of things including ghee, milk, honey, turmeric, kumkum. Such a sweet smell emanated from the stage, it was wonderful!
Around 11 pm, everyone trooped inside the temple. The deities were closed off from the crowd by a silken curtain. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare….’ resounded again and again. As it neared 12 am, more people started crowding inside. The music started ascending to a feverish pitch and it finally reached a crescendo at 12 am as the curtains were drawn apart and everyone rushed forward to catch a sight of the beautifully decorated altar. The idols were so lovely to look at. There were 3 statues to the left, those of Jagannatha of Puri, Subhadra and Balarama. In the centre were the dancing figures of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his foremost disciple, Nimbaaraka. To the right were the ever-familiar Radha and Krishna.
You could touch the energy in the hall with your finger, it was that electric. People were singing, dancing, chanting – it was wonderful to watch. Soon after the curtain was unveiled, the priests started pulling off the garlands, tearing them apart and throwing the flowers to the people. Flowers, garlands and fruits were flung towards the eager devotees.
All in all, it was a magical experience and an unforgettable one.
Sometime in the middle of these festivities, I remembered a question someone had asked Gurudev (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) about cults. He gave such an apt reply as such I had never heard before. He said, ‘Cults are exclusive. Whereas the Art of Living is an all-inclusive community.’ or something along those lines. Such a perfect definition of *cult* as I had never heard before.
In my opinion, the word *cult* is definitely of Western origin. India has been home to spirituality, spiritual masters and saints since time immemorial. Each one of these exalted souls has had his or her own group of devotees and followers. No one ever termed them as *cults*. On the contrary, bhakti has always been known as a wonderful virtue.
People in the West have long associated cults with blind faith and following. Obviously, faith is blind. That which cannot be seen by the eyes is termed as blind and eyes have only limited capability. Faith is an instinct, a deeper and subtler sense and one that can be felt only by the heart. Close your eyes, open your heart and feel the divinity within. Once you have experienced that beauty inside, do you even care if some ignorant person terms your faith as a *cult thing*?
Like George Harrison once remarked, ‘All you need is love – Hari Bol!’
megaswami says:
ISKCON- please explain? is it an acronym for something?
August 27, 2005 — 2:14 pm
Lakshmi says:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
August 27, 2005 — 2:17 pm
arunshanbhag says:
Hey L,
I have alternately refered to the temple as the ISKCON or the Hare krishna Temple. Do you think the later is more appropriate/acceptable. Consider, we refer to the Tirupati Temple so, and not as the TTD temple. Just wondering.
August 27, 2005 — 2:33 pm
Lakshmi says:
I think it is referred to as Hare Krishna temple commonly, at least in India.
August 28, 2005 — 2:33 pm
arunshanbhag says:
WoW! Reading your descriptions I felt like if I was right there in Atlanta. Beautiful.
Interestingly, my uncles and other relatives from SC were also at the ISKCON temple yesterday 😉
We just stayed home 🙁 Homesick, cause last year we were at the Krishna Temple in udupi at this time and also preparing for the Ganapati festival.
The word ‘cult’ is certainly a western attempt at portraying the heterogeneity in which we manifest our faiths – with a negative connotation. methinks, ‘sects’ are more preferable. The mutlifaceted nature of bhakti and the electricity of the chanting needs to be experienced. Thank you for sharing that we us. Hare Krishna!
August 27, 2005 — 2:30 pm
warmpinkglow says:
Arun! Hi! 🙂
I too dislike the ‘cult’ word. People have such a negativity associated with it.
There are some who say that word about Amma too, but I know how I feel around her. I know how I feel such LOVE and PEACE, and to me, that’s all that matters.
Jai Sri Krishna!
August 27, 2005 — 6:57 pm
Lakshmi says:
There are some who say that word about Amma too, but I know how I feel around her. I know how I feel such LOVE and PEACE, and to me, that’s all that matters.
Know what you mean… but it’s impossible to convey that feeling to anyone. Can only be experienced…:-)
August 28, 2005 — 2:35 pm
arunshanbhag says:
I concur!
when people say negative things about others, it usually tells me more about them than whatever it is they are criticizing. So don’t take the criticisms about the Hare Krishna Temples seriously. They are fabulous places. I talked about the one I visited in my recent Bangalore post.
For me, all temples are like guiding beacons on a stormy night. Places to rest and refresh the soul for the onward journey.
🙂
August 28, 2005 — 7:03 pm
Lakshmi says:
For me, all temples are like guiding beacons on a stormy night. Places to rest and refresh the soul for the onward journey.
Very beautifully put!
August 29, 2005 — 1:17 pm
Lakshmi says:
Thanks, Arun.
August 28, 2005 — 2:33 pm
warmpinkglow says:
I wish I could have made it last night. I’ve heard fantastic things about the celebrations at the ISKCON temples. I’ve not heard many good things about ISKCON in general, though (first-hand accounts of very negative occurances), so I usually feel strange about getting involved with the group.
Anyway, thanks for sharing this.
August 27, 2005 — 6:54 pm
Anonymous says:
Hey! whenever any community grows that large, there is bound to be some disharmony.
Say for like, some self-claimed “rationalists” accuse Amma of protecting corrupt bureaucrats… they don’t digest the fact that she doesn’t ban _anyone_ from coming to the ashram and praying…
Most of the allegations and rumours have been spread and abetted by an aggressive order of Catholic Church.
August 28, 2005 — 12:07 am
warmpinkglow says:
Of course! I don’t mean to sound rude at all, but I’m just stating my experience with it. 🙂
I know some good people through LJ who are part of ISKCON, so that has changed my view a bit. :))
August 28, 2005 — 12:17 am
99kanitas says:
i always find faith amazing. with all the questioning these days, trusting then being let down… that there’s some ground you can put your foot on and not worry about quicksand.
August 27, 2005 — 9:56 pm
fugney says:
To be honest, I find these ISKCON chaps frightening. Their evangelist zeal is by and largely alien to hinduism. I think of them as a cult, and a dangerous one at that.
August 29, 2005 — 7:53 am
Lakshmi says:
Dikhaavon pe mat jaao, apni akal lagaao!
The Sprite punchline holds good for this discussion.
What do you think is a cult? Would like to know, from a discussion point of view.
August 29, 2005 — 1:26 pm
fugney says:
The Sprite punchline holds good for this discussion.
Bole toh?
What do you think is a cult? Would like to know, from a discussion point of view.
A group or organisation that attempts to isolate people from mainstream society by thrusting them into an imaginary world.
August 30, 2005 — 9:01 am
iyer_the_gr8 says:
Very well put…
But one needs to understand the difference… As Locks mentioned in her post… cult is something that is all exclusive… how can something that is all-inclusive be a cult… The zeal and enthusiasm of the Hare Krishnas stems from love, devotion and happiness… something that attempts to include everyone and everything around… something that can only be experienced and not described! 🙂
And since experience is beyond intellect, it cannot be debated either… 🙂
August 30, 2005 — 11:02 am
Lakshmi says:
Re: Very well put…
Perfectly put!
August 30, 2005 — 11:24 am
Lakshmi says:
Sprite punchline means ‘Don’t go by appearances; use your own brain!’
According to you, ISKCON is a cult because they attempt to isolate people from mainstream society by thrusting them into an imaginary world… hmmm?
For your information, there are many ISKCON members who lead normal lives, work, have families like other *normal* people do. Also, any world that seems strange can be termed as ‘imaginary’. Who is to say what is real and what is imaginary?
August 30, 2005 — 11:23 am
fugney says:
Sprite punchline means ‘Don’t go by appearances; use your own brain!’
errr… I speak hindi too.
I’ve been to an ISKCON temple, and the experience has left me skeptical. There was this huge cinema-hall like place where they had this show about their message or whatever it is. It first attempts to frighten you by showing how your youth and happiness will be taken away from you, as you gradually face decay and death. And then they offer you the solution “Chant the lord’s name”. Of course, they insist this is the only thing that works in the “Kali yug”. Later, I read a magazine where they challenged both the big bang theory and the darwinian evolution in the span of a few pages.
Another I thing I remember about the “presentation” is how they tried to put the fear of hell in you. They tell the tale of some chap who gambles, drinks, robs, beats his wife, and does everything that’s “evil”. When he dies, as he is entering hell, he cries out “Krishna!!!”, and divine beings come to rescue him.
Hmmm….
Also, any world that seems strange can be termed as ‘imaginary’. Who is to say what is real and what is imaginary?
*sigh* Let’s just say it’s a matter of opinion. But the fact that’s it’s a matter of opinion does not mean that there is no such thing as “imaginary” or “fact”. Even if you cannot say with absolute certainity as to what is fact, you can seek out rationally what the truth is. You may never reach there, but it is better to believe the results of your best attempts.
Let’s take an example in the context of the argument. Consider a group which believes that gods are aliens, and human beings were created by aliens for whatever reason. They believe aliens came down on earth, mated with local beings, gave birth to the human race, or whatever. Such groups actually do exist.
There is much that is irrational about such a belief system. I cannot go into it in detail, but most of it centers around how human the “alien” beings actually seem to be. They have little problem communicating with us, surviving our atmosphere, or even “mating” with earthly beings. Of course, it is imaginary to some and real to others. Therefore, by your argument(or what I understand of it) we should give their beliefs due respect despite their irrationality.
I am a little drained right now from work and in on position to articulate better. I hope you can understand my line of thought.
August 31, 2005 — 8:53 am
illusorynirvana says:
While some of the followers of the ISKCON movement indeed come across as over-zealous, ive met many beautiful ppl within the movement.
Infact the behaviour of these ppl, cannot be held against this amazing movement started by an amazing person…Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who took bhakti to heights never known before. Here was a man, who was a living embodiment of bhakti, experiecing the nectar of rasa at every waking movement.
The heights of this tradition of bhakti is dizzying. Throw aside mere jnana and dry reasoning, said the gopis….what do i care for the world, what do i care for anything? All is Krishna and it’s krishna alone i seek!
This pinnacle of devotion as expounded by the gaudya vaishnava sampradaya is hard to find anywhere else in the world. Although I cant bring myself to get over another amazing person called Ramakrishna Paramahansa and his devotion to his Mother or Goddess Kali..
September 12, 2005 — 6:46 pm
Lakshmi says:
what do i care for the world, what do i care for anything? All is Krishna and it’s krishna alone i seek!
🙂 You might check out the title of my journal!
September 13, 2005 — 2:04 pm
illusorynirvana says:
I KNOW! i saw that..it’s beautiful! 🙂
September 13, 2005 — 5:49 pm
sat_chit_anand says:
“A group or organisation that attempts to isolate people from mainstream society by thrusting them into an imaginary world. “
There are a lot of societies where it is not maintstream for people to be homosexual. So by the above reasoning, any organization which aspires to live a homosexual life style would also be a cult. Similiarly there are societies where women are not allowed to gain education and that practice is pretty much mainstream in the context of those societies. In that case any organization which creates an aspiration for women to gain education can also be defined as a cult. Since in the context of their society educated women is an imaginary concept.
What I mean to convey is what is mainstream and what is imaginary is very relative. The world is a realm of infinite possibilities. Just because something doesnt look familiar doesnt mean it can be written off as being cultish. I am not saying that ISKCON is or is not a cult. I dont know much about it but based on Locks’ experience it didnt appear as if she was excluded from their celebrations.
August 30, 2005 — 1:06 pm
fugney says:
There are a lot of societies where it is not maintstream for people to be homosexual. So by the above reasoning, any organization which aspires to live a homosexual life style would also be a cult.
It may not be mainstream for people to be homosexual, but I don’t think any community of homosexuals attempts to isolate them from the rest of society. You can be a homosexual and still interact with non-homosexuals. I don’t see where the isolation comes from.
Similiarly there are societies where women are not allowed to gain education and that practice is pretty much mainstream in the context of those societies. In that case any organization which creates an aspiration for women to gain education can also be defined as a cult. Since in the context of their society educated women is an imaginary concept.
I think here you are using the word “imaginary” in a context other than I meant to use it. I meant to say “that which cannot exist” whereas you seem to have interpreted it as “that which does not exist”.
Maybe the word “cult” is not quite the right description of how I think of ISKCON. Perhaps my long-ish reply to comment will better explain my point of view.
August 31, 2005 — 9:02 am