Hundreds of Hare Krishna followers gathered at the Krishna temple in Moscow last night [28 December] to perform the ancient Vedic ritual of (?Nama Yagya).
In a joint prayer, they hoped to save their sacred place from destruction. Under the Moscow city development plan, the Krishna temple must be demolished.
[Correspondent Sergey Kochetkov] Hundreds of lights went on in the Krishna temple in Moscow last night. Vaisnavas prayed for the preservation of Moscow's only Hindu temple. Under the Moscow city development plan, it must be demolished this winter. Moreover, the municipal authorities have still not allotted a plot of land to build a new Hindu centre for the 25,000-strong community in Moscow.
[Igor Anikanov, captioned as the head of the public relations department of the Moscow-based Society for Krishna Consciousness] In effect, we shall find ourselves in the street. In line with the canons of our tradition and our belief, we cannot leave the gods without a place of worship, and we cannot leave our believers without a place of worship. It is not just a matter of tradition, it is a matter of our constitutional rights.
[Correspondent] The Krishna temple at the Begovaya underground station has existed for 13 years. It is located in a small two-storey building constructed right after World War II. Architects say that it may tumble down any minute. And yet Hare Krishnas say that they will not leave the place until a new temple is built. Although they are professing a peaceful religion, they are ready to stage a rally and go on a hunger strike in order to protect the temple.
[Modan-Mohan Das, captioned as vice president of the temple] I must say that if the temple is demolished, it would be the first case in the history of the Western world when a Hindu temple is demolished by the authorities. We hope that the demolition of places of worship in Moscow, which is famous for restoring Christ the Saviour Cathedral from ruins, is in the past.
[Correspondent] The conflict may be averted. Moreover, the Moscow city government is ready to allot a plot of land in Leningradskoye Shosse [Russ: highway] to build a new Krishna temple. One small thing is lacking - Mayor [Yuriy] Luzhkov's signature under the document. Hare Krishnas have been waiting for the cherished signature for almost three months now.