Criminals of New Vrndavan and Victims too!, Links to Gallery, many pics here as well Options

[Homer]

when parents disagreed with the management one of the kids would get locked in a freezer and die "by accident." 

no joke.

How do you know this?

[Homer]

when parents disagreed with the management one of the kids would get locked in a freezer and die "by accident." 

no joke.

How do you know this?

[0Dharmaraja dasa0]

What an evil spot on earth stained by bloodshed. Is anyone out there in the know about KS regime being some kind of secret satanic society? If bad things went on there as they have in other groups, children of god and others, it would seem then that America houses some perverse mockery of religious traditions almost as a Satanic principle. A bit like those getting off on inflicting torture on folk inside Guantanamo. The KS regime seem to be against Prabhupada, which makes Prabhupada out to be the good guy who was poisoned more likely I think. KS and co weren’t the first followers of ACBSP. It was those associated with the Paradox beat scene, who were took over by the Mott Street gang, if one reads between the lines and lies of SDG’s lilamrta, that is.

[metamorphosis]

The Great Mantra Hare Krishna lifestyle wins over initially reluctant GLC participants

Pushing the strange yellow and red foods around their plates, the students whined and grumbled — “This food is gross,” “It’s weird here,” “I’m hung over.” These complaints could have come from any freshmen over lackluster dining hall food on a Saturday afternoon.

But the food was traditional Indian fare, not burgers. Vegetarian, not fried. The students weren’t freshmen. They were members of Ohio University’s Global Leadership Center. And huddled around their plates as the wind whipped autumn’s first fallen leaves around them, they were certainly a long way from the dining hall.

GLC traveled three and a half hours last weekend through the multicolored autumnal Appalachian hills to visit New Vrindaban, a Hare Krishna farm — or an oasis or an amusement park, depending on whom you ask.

From Athens to New Vrindaban

See the rest of the long article and a small slide show here>>>>>>>>>> The Great Mantra Hare Krishna lifestyle wins over initially reluctant GLC participants

GLC’s Yinger marched with the procession as it circled the effigy. He was handed a bow and shot the effigy with a flaming arrow as part of the ceremony. The crowd cheered as the effigy began to burn and fireworks exploded over the lake.“This is what GLC does,” said OU junior Christina Conrad, one of the participants.

Dance and chant in the moonlight?

“Yeah!” she laughed.

“What do you think of all this?” Daum asked GLC’s Pesek.

Pesek paused, the fire’s glow falling on her face. “It’s fun,” she said.

A moment later, her friend took her by the arm and into the people dancing and circling the fire as chants of “Hare Krishna” rose into the crisp night air.

[Tapati]

I'm wondering, did they show them around the sites where people were murdered, beaten, or molested? You gotta give them the full New Vrndavana experience.

[angrezi]

I'm wondering, did they show them around the sites where people were murdered, beaten, or molested? You gotta give them the full New Vrndavana experience.

I got the monkey on the stick tour once and saw a few murder sites

[zvs]

I just stumbled upon this thread today.

I spent a lot of time at New Vrindavan from 2000 to 2002. (I may even have met Angrezi there.) It's not too far from where I live - a little over two hours. I always greatly enjoyed the drive down there, winding through Southern Ohio, across long stretches of lonely, peaceful highway, through blown-out mountain passages, past nuclear power plants, and finally through the archetypal Southern small-town on my way to "Palace Road."

Getting up Palace Road was always a challenge. At times, it was terrifying. It is a very narrow passageway littered with sudden, sharp curves; there is no barrier, and the view as you drive forward is constantly of the harrowing drop you would face if you went off the road. After a little too much of that for any sane person's taste, the Palace of Gold appears on your right; a little further down, you find yourself safely in the parking lot of the Temple of Understanding.

When I first started going there, I had no idea that it had literally just returned to "normal." I wasn't aware of a lot of its past, but I thought the things I did know had occurred quite awhile ago. I remember, during my first visit, coming upon the tombstone at Hayagriva's grave, located directly on the path from the Temple to the giant Gaura-Nitai statues beyond the lake. I had recently read the Prabhupada-lilamrita, and paid obeisances to his entombed body. So little did I know.

It's really beautiful there, and I had some truly transcendental times there. I always felt at peace while on the grounds, even when my inner life was in turmoil. I have so many vivid memories of walking from the temple, past the lake and up to Gaura-Nitai, past them and over to the Palace. I always took that walk alone, and it always centered me. Sometimes, when a lot of other devotees were there, I would feel so blissful in the presence of friends, surrounded by happy people all full of devotion... I still miss New Vrindavan.

The bad vibes of the then-recent past never really made it my way, although I did learn more as I became a regular there. I was once shown a library hidden in the catacombs of the temple in which discarded Kirtanananda and Harikesh books were kept. I was taken past Bhaktipada's old house. I was lead through the abandoned grounds of "Old Vrindaban" and saw places that I later realized were connected to many crimes and other unhappy memories. I was told that, in the basement of one of the abandoned houses on the property, the crowbar used to split Bhaktipada's head open was kept on display in a glass case...

Once, while standing in back of the semi-ruined Palace, looking down at a brick walkway, fountains and flowers, a resident-friend pointed toward a spot in the grass and told me that it was the former location of the Prabuddhapada.

As I see the pictures from NV's past, it hits home in a strange way. I see Bhaktipada walking down the same sidewalk on which I used to chant rounds. I see a Jesus murti, a Kirtanananda vyasasana, unhappy young boys and Franciscan robes in the very temple room where I spent so much early-morning time. I realized that skeletons were dug out of muddy pools around which I likely innocently walked many times. I see the Prabuddhapada, at long last, the size of which I never could have fathomed; if someone had told me it was that big, I would have considered it an urban legend.

It's a strange place, tucked away in a beautiful setting, highly conducive to a spiritual life. So long as you can accept that it is a different place than it was just a bit ago, when it was the home of a criminal personality cult far more whacked out than ISKCON could ever hope to be. I miss being there, but I certainly don't fault the discomfort that keeps many away - Especially since many of the personalities that desecrated that land are still around.

[Kalisurfer]

I just stumbled upon this thread today.

I spent a lot of time at New Vrindavan from 2000 to 2002. (I may even have met Angrezi there.) It's not too far from where I live - a little over two hours. I always greatly enjoyed the drive down there, winding through Southern Ohio, across long stretches of lonely, peaceful highway, through blown-out mountain passages, past nuclear power plants, and finally through the archetypal Southern small-town on my way to "Palace Road."

It's a strange place, tucked away in a beautiful setting, highly conducive to a spiritual life. So long as you can accept that it is a different place than it was just a bit ago, when it was the home of a criminal personality cult far more whacked out than ISKCON could ever hope to be. I miss being there, but I certainly don't fault the discomfort that keeps many away - Especially since many of the personalities that desecrated that land are still around.

Great stories concerning your memories of being at New Vrndavan ZVS, the way the strange past is interwoven through your experiences there years later, your appreciation of the beauty there, sometimes just yards away from the bad mojo events that happened on the same spot. My wife and I were there once for a weekend around 12 years ago, and it had many of the same qualities that you mention, beauty/decay, smiling faces that would go sad when the past was mentioned, a wonderful temple room and great restaurant, but the Prabhupada as Buddha was weird to see, not to mention the crumbling of many of the structures, including the Temple of Gold which had a feeling of antiquity to it.

When you were there, was a devotee by the name of Sadaruci there? He would of been in his forties at the time, an SDG disciple, an old bramachari, he was involved with their "Adopt a Cow" campaign at the time.

[Prisni]

The bad vibes of the then-recent past never really made it my way, although I did learn more as I became a regular there. I was once shown a library hidden in the catacombs of the temple in which discarded Kirtanananda and Harikesh books were kept. I was taken past Bhaktipada's old house. I was lead through the abandoned grounds of "Old Vrindaban" and saw places that I later realized were connected to many crimes and other unhappy memories. I was told that, in the basement of one of the abandoned houses on the property, the crowbar used to split Bhaktipada's head open was kept on display in a glass case...

I am not particularly happy about religious fanatism in any form, since it tend to repeat itself. Cyclically?

I live in nice valley, and sometimes I envision how Anna and Karin, from my very small village, was going to church one day. How, when they entered their place of worship, one young boy was pointing at her saying - I see the sign of the devil on her forhead, she is a Witch, and she too!

Over 50 "witches" were caught, and after some time they were forced by their husbands, parents, neigbours, and everyone they knew, up to the execution hill. There they were first beheaded, and then burned on stakes.

The place of execution today:


A memorial stone made.


On the stone it said that men judged women. And somehow I see history repeat itself in ISKCON. How men judge women as witches, or something, but they call it "representatives of Maya".
How evil that is, and yet they call themselves "spiritual".
It was the religious head, the priest, that was the most fanatical in burning the women in his parish as witches. He probably considered him much better than others, just as those in ISKCON do.
And that they in ISKCON are capable of murder, can be seen in New Vrindavana. Just thank God that the police exist today and prosecute the real criminals.

As long as people keep their twisted fanatic beliefs, it can happen again.
And even though GV glorify women, in the form of the gopis of Vrindavana, still the neo-gv are clueless of what their own religious is saying, and continue with their stupid beliefs.
Thinking themselves better than others.

[Dhyana]

The ideas and aspirations of the early Gaudiya Vaisnavism seem an attempt to bridge the masculine / feminine dichotomy and do away with the patriarchy, at least on the level of emotion. But in the later Gaudiya Vaisnavism the patriarchate triumphs again, and the professed admiration of "spiritual" women like gopis serves to cover up the abuse of the "ordinary" living women.

[zvs]

...a wonderful temple room and great restaurant, but the Prabhupada as Buddha was weird to see, not to mention the crumbling of many of the structures, including the Temple of Gold which had a feeling of antiquity to it.

When you were there, was a devotee by the name of Sadaruci there? He would of been in his forties at the time, an SDG disciple, an old bramachari, he was involved with their "Adopt a Cow" campaign at the time.

Restaurant was closed when I was there. During periods when lots of devotees/guests were there, they had some stands open here and there on the grounds, and a cafeteria-type area.

The Palace was in very bad shape when I was there as well; new pictures I've seen seem to suggest renovation - or maybe just creative photography! I used to like to go to the Palace because it was such a desolate place. I took the tour once, and attended a program in the temple room inside, but that was just to see it for myself, I think. There are no massive throngs of pilgrims and tourists there, like in the "glorious" past. The devotees don't even go, residents and visitors alike. When I went up there, I was assured an utterly quiet, solitary experience. Climbing the big staircase and circling the palace... surrounded by ruined fountains and rose gardens, with nobody in sight. Walking along the path inside the wall that leads to the palace, with mountains in the distance... It was an experience you couldn't get at any city temple, where you're supposed to be in "association" or "service" at all times. I could actually be myself there.

As I look back, though, I'm kind of surprised the Palace wasn't razed with the Jesus-murti, the Bhaktipada-vyasasana, and the Prabhupada-buddha. For some reason, the Palace is still described and promoted as a labor of love, an act of devotion to the spiritual master. (We've all heard the famous story about how its constructors had no experience or training, etc.) I wasn't there when it was built, but I have to say I doubt the motivations. Kirtanananda knew it was going to be a tourist attraction, and that meant lots of money and prestige. He was trying to usurp ACBS from day one, so I can't imagine him masterminding such a huge "act of love." It seems to me the Palace is the last remaining monument to Bhaktipada's megalomania and kingly aspirations, and his ability to hold sway over a large number of devoted followers... And yet they still insist on fixing it up, rebuilding it. Does New Vrindavan really need to be restored to its heyday? Can it handle such a thing?

[zvs]

Oh, and no, I do not remember a Saduchari. I did meet one brahmachari who was taking care of cows there, but he was young.

Strangely enough, I don't remember the names of most of the people I regularly saw there. I remember Jayasri dasi, because she took care of me after my death-defying car accident on Palace Road, and Bindu-sarovara dasi, because we were very close. (Close enough for temple authorities to ask her not to sit with me during prasadam or otherwise be alone with me!) No other names come to mind...

[metamorphosis]

Are you sad that you defied death in that accident? Since you were probably Krishna Conscious during that time, and you would have crashed in the "Holy Dhama" wouldn't you go directly to Krishna Loka or Go Loka or perhaps Druva or Visnu Loka?

But seriously, what was that all about, the wreck i mean? Ouch!

[zvs]

Are you sad that you defied death in that accident? Since you were probably Krishna Conscious during that time, and you would have crashed in the "Holy Dhama" wouldn't you go directly to Krishna Loka or Go Loka or perhaps Druva or Visnu Loka?

But seriously, what was that all about, the wreck i mean? Ouch!

Who knows where I would have gone! I wasn't technically in the "dham" when it happened - I was on my way out!

I also was not very Krishna-conscious at the time. I didn't start chanting the holy names or remembering the forms of Radha-Krishna, etc. The last thing I remember thinking before I blacked out was "oh my god, this is actually happening, I'm actually about to get into a major car crash."

What happened was, my left rear wheel snapped off at the axle. Clean break, out of nowhere. Palace Road - on the way out - is a downhill ride with many twists and turns. On your left is a hill with trees on top, and on your right is a steep drop down into a ravine. I remember hearing some screeching and thinking that a car in front of me somewhere had suddenly slammed on its brakes. At that time, I was on a straight passage; the next curve wound to the right. As I turned the steering wheel to take the curve, nothing happened. I continued straight. I slammed on the breaks, but it was too late. The last thing I remember is going off the road and up the hill, and seeing everything tilt on a 45-degree angle. I woke up in the driver's seat, my car parked in the opposite traffic lane, surrounded by shards of glass. My windshield was bent into an upside-down "V."

A car came up the road and pulled over. I got out of my car and saw that my left rear wheel was off. I assumed that it had come off when I flipped/landed/etc. I asked him if he had a jack so we could get it back on, and that's when he informed me that the axle itself had actually snapped clean in half. What the hell?

The police came and took a report. I was still confused, bewildered, shaken, and processing the whole thing at the time. I didn't mention the screeching I heard, how my steering suddenly went out, etc. I hadn't put the whole picture together yet, and I just wanted to avoid being blamed for the accident. (It would come together later, after I went back to the scene and examined the evidence - great gouges in the pavement from my raw axle, showing up long before track marks from when I slammed on my brakes...etc etc.) In addition, I was only 18 and not legally savvy at the time. The officer asked me how fast I was going. I said, "I was doing the speed limit. But because I was going down hill, maybe I had some extra momentum." So he put "speeding" in the police report. With that, and without any mention of the circumstances beyond my control that caused the accident, the insurance company put my rates through the roof, and sent my parents a letter about how I was a potential dangerous driver, etc.

The real crazy thing is, the curve before that one and the one after were both left-hand turns. If my wheel had come off just a little later or earlier, I would have been unable to turn left instead of right, and would have gone straight over the cliff and to the bottom of the ravine. No more Zack.

My parents tried to hire a lawyer, but the office they went to represented the car dealership in a real estate matter, and couldn't help us. They eventually found somebody to take the case, who hired an investigator to look into the circumstances surrounding the sale of the car to me. It turned out I had been given a falsified or "edited" history of the car; it had been totalled and repaired - TWICE - before I bought it. The investigator called the wrecking lot in West Virginia where my car was being held, and was mysteriously informed that it was no longer on the lot, and they couldn't locate it. My dad is convinced it was destroyed in order to hide evidence. He's probably right.

Actually, the very first time I went to New Vrindavan, it was so dark that I couldn't see the road, and I got stuck in a ditch near the temple. I had to be pulled out by tractor with chains. After the Palace Road incident, I became known as the "accident acarya."

[metamorphosis]

I meant no disrespect or to minimize the accident that you experienced. Kidding only Thanks for explaining the story.

[Gaudeamus]

What an evil spot on earth stained by bloodshed. Is anyone out there in the know about KS regime being some kind of secret satanic society? If bad things went on there as they have in other groups, children of god and others, it would seem then that America houses some perverse mockery of religious traditions almost as a Satanic principle. A bit like those getting off on inflicting torture on folk inside Guantanamo. The KS regime seem to be against Prabhupada, which makes Prabhupada out to be the good guy who was poisoned more likely I think. KS and co weren’t the first followers of ACBSP. It was those associated with the Paradox beat scene, who were took over by the Mott Street gang, if one reads between the lines and lies of SDG’s lilamrta, that is.

Interesting stuff. Many cults and religious movements have to deal with people such as this Kirtananda and KS & cy.
Rudolf Steiner (founder of anthroposophy) is said to have been poisoned too.

[kalki]

I noticed also the baby bottle.  I also noticed Prabuddhapada.  Every temple should have at least two. 

I know that King Prabhupadabuddha's statue was dynamited at one time by the locals. Anybody knows the details? Who and why blasted the statue? (or should I say "murti" )

[kalki]

it wasn't blown up but demolished by Varshana Swami using a bulldozer in 1999 or sometime around that. He did it on his own, it wasn't ordered by the GBC who liked it I guess.

thanks I have heard there is a devotee in NV who is writing a history of that place. it bounds to be an interesting read

You might know about the statue correctly I guess, but just to put two cents in, the rumour in NY around that time was that Radhanath ordered for the statue to be blown up by dynamite because it was an offense the Srila Prabhupada. Maybe that was one of the first ideas on how to deal and then maybe it went into Varshana Swami's hands. But I have always heard it being a point of criticism from Iskcon devotees, so I don't know why the GBC would have liked it that much.

And about the book that someone has written, it is still in progress and a quite interesting and thorough history...http://www.henrydoktorski.com/newvrindaban.shtml