Moscow, Russia - The city government here will give land for a Krishna temple, ending a longstanding controversy over whether Hindus should have a place of worship in the Russian capital.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit said the Mayor of Moscow had assured her he would allot land. This promise was also registered in a Joint Statement issued at the end of Ms. Dixit's talks with the Mayor.
In 2004 Moscow's Hare Krishna temple was demolished under a city development plan, and the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKON), which operated it, was offered another piece of land to build a temple. However, the offer was withdrawn following protests from the Russian Orthodox Church against plans to build a temple that would eclipse the Christ the Saviour Cathedral, the main Orthodox church here.
ISKON later scaled down its temple plan, but it is only now that the Mayor cleared the project.
The Chief Minister was in Moscow for a cultural festival held under a `sister-city' accord between the two capitals. She described the three-day festival as "a roaring success." Performances by vocalist Kalapini Komkali and sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, dancer Astad Deboo, and others drew full houses.
The festival featured a fashion show, traditional Indian dances, recital of poetry by Indian authors and the screening of Bollywood films. Rock band Euphoria performed. `Days of Moscow' will be held in Delhi next year, ahead of a Year of Russia festival in India in 2008.
The Chief Minister held wide-ranging discussions with the Mayor of Moscow on ways to enhance trade and economic cooperation between the two capitals.