By Laurence Furr
After ten years of planning and five years of construction, the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork opened Saturday, June 23.
The temple is the first in the United States devoted exclusively to Krishna worship and built entirely in the Indian style, said Caru Das, festival coordinator.
The 15,000 square-foot temple serves both Krishna devotees and Hindus throughout Utah, Das said.
Known by most Americans as Hare Krishnas, Krishna devotees practice Vaishnavism, which means 'followers of Vishnu' or Krishna, the Sanskrit word signifying god, Das said.
Vishnu is the authoritarian personality of god, whereas Krishna is the 'intimate aspect of god,' he described.
Hindus also worship Krishna, but place him equal in importance with literally millions of other Hindu gods, considered 'demigods' by Krishna devotees.
'The demigods get their power from Vishnu, who manages the universe,' Das explained, comparing the concept to the president and his cabinet.
One such demigod is Atni, the fire god, he said.
After the Brahmin priests chant Sanskrit mantras during the temple dedication, they call upon Atni to sanctify the temple as part of the 'Homa' or fire sacrifice.
Following the Homa, Das said the priests would conduct the 'Abhishek,' the ritual bathing and installation of the Krishna deities.
By chanting his name, the devotees ask Krishna to 'manifest himself' through the form of the 40 inch marble deities, hand carved in Jaipur, India, Das said.
'Krishna is all pervading and we should be able to see him everywhere,' he said, noting that the deities should not be mistaken for idol worship.
'We get so involved with daily activity that we forget Krishna,' Das continued. 'The temple is a refreshing reminder that Krishna is everywhere.'
Kiran Kamdar, a Krishna devotee and native of India, helped to sew clothes for the deities.
She said going to the temple gives her peace of mind.
Kamdar said she hopes that all will feel welcome at the temple, which she describes as 'a great cultural center.'
This may be an accurate description when considering the temple has an adjacent amphitheater that holding 3,000.
Following the temple dedication, several speakers, including Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah, shared the amphitheater''s stage with Indian dancers.
'It will be great for the community,' said Krishna devotee Bankim Roydas, referring to his excitement for the community to come and learn about Vaishnavism.
Roydas'' wife and daughter were two of the dancers to perform in the ceremonial dancing.
Roydas said he is happy to see many BYU students who have come to learn about the Krishna religion and to even help build the temple.
Vaibhavi Dasi, designer of the temple, said she too is grateful for the service rendered by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
'The local Mormons have been wonderfully helpful, giving donations individually and collectively, as well as coming in groups as large as 200 to do service projects,' she said.
When raising funds to build the temple, Dasi requested a grant from the LDS Foundation, a Utah non-profit corporation.
Kim Farah, spokeswoman for the Church of Jesus Christ, said the Foundation was organized exclusively for religious, charitable and educational purposes.
She said the Foundation, which receives all of its funding from the for-profit businesses of Deseret Management Corporation, considers grant requests from many charitable organizations, including other religious groups.
The Foundation granted $25,000 to the Krishna temple.
Dinesh Patel, pharmaceutical entrepreneur, said he is also grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ''s donation.
'Hopefully the temple will fulfill the religious needs for Hindu communities, but also educate non-Hindus about Hindu beliefs,' he said.
Patel, a leader of the Hindu community in Salt Lake, has donated more than $80,000 to the construction of the temple.
He said the temple will benefit the Hindu community and Utah because it speaks well for the diversity in Utah.
'We''re all headed on the same path, and hopefully in the same direction,' Patel said.
Das said he agrees.
'We''re not seeking to replace anyone''s faith, but people may find that Vaishnavism can be supplementary to other enriching activities.'
Although Vaishnavism is the predominate religion of India and has roots more than 5,400 years old, many misconceptions still remain among North Americans, Das said.
'Despite the stereotypes, we''re normal people, very happy with our theology,' he said. 'We feel in our hearts joy, and hope that joy reflects itself in our buildings so that others can take that joy and use it in their own lives.'
Das said the crux of their religion comes from the 'Bhagavad Gita,' Vaishnavism''s scripture and philosophical core.
The Bhagavad Gita was compiled from the Vedas, Krishna scripture dating back to the beginning of time, Das said.
He said the temple will serve as a reminder of the teachings outlined in the Bhagavad Gita.
'We see the temple as a great catalyst for God consciousness.'