Team Blitz India
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) will be inaugurating a grand new 11,200 sq. ft. temple building in Washington DC’s suburb of Maryland, on March 22. A special VIP opening will be held for representatives from the academic, faith, and religious freedom communities, as well as political leaders, on April 6, 2024.
The Krishna temple in the nation’s capital region was first opened in 1969 on P Street in a rented property in Washington, and in 1973 moved to Q Street. In 1976, the temple moved to Potomac, Maryland, where it is currently situated on 12 acres of wooded property. Although additional buildings were added over the years, the temple itself, where most religious and community observances are held, has been located in a 1200 sq. ft. converted indoor basketball court of what was previously a day camp for children.
“On major holidays, like Krishnajanmastami (Lord Krishna’s birthday) we host up to 8,000 congregants and visitors,” said Ananda Vrindavan, ISKCON temple president. “We’ve struggled for years to accommodate everyone, and we are excited to share this new facility with our community.”
The new building boasts many features common to temples in an Indian, or Vedic motif, including elaborate arches and columns, extensive use of marble, and traditional temple domes. It includes a temple room of 4,000 sq. ft., a 3,200-sq. ft. cultural hall for community events, a gift shop, classrooms, and a large commercial kitchen to support the temple’s extensive distribution of free food. Globally, Hare Krishna Food Relief, Hare Krishna Food for Life, and other affiliates, distribute over 1.1 million hot vegetarian meals every day, mostly in India, in coordination with that government’s “MidDay Meal” program.
