When I first learned from Dr. Ball-Phillips that our class would be taking a field trip to visit the local Hare Krishna temple, I was overcome with apprehension but also excitement.  My limited knowledge of the movement and its followers immediately brought to mind questions that I hoped to seek the answers to.  And while many of my questions were answered during our evening trip to the Dallas area temple, I was most surprised to find myself in awe of the beauty and tranquility of the inside of the temple.

The temple, which is located at 5430 Gurley Avenue, was founded in 1972, just six years after the inception of the movement in the United States.  Our guide for the evening, a man named Prajapati, is a practicing Krishna and has roots in the earliest of Krishna movements.

Upon entering the temple, we were asked to take off our shoes and leave them in the shoe room.  Once we entered the main room, I was enveloped by the smell of fragrance and the heady aesthetic.  The inside of the temple is covered with paintings, all of which have Krishna in them, as well as artifacts, and a wax figure of Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the Krishna movement.

I was particularly intrigued by the different rituals and practices that the followers did while we were inside the temple.  The “puja,” which simply means worship, consisted of chanting and even getting down on the ground and laying flat.  During the puja, a little girl approached our group and offered for us to smell a flower — a kind gesture to offer that to complete strangers and non-followers.  As we continued to observe the puja, Prajapati talked in-depth about the origins of the Krishna’s beliefs and practices.  Krishna followers believe that their devotion to Krishna can best be displayed through chanting the “maha-mantra” and also doing bhakti-yoga.

Overall, I had a really pleasant experience at the Hare Krishna temple.  I was disappointed that the Kalachandji restaurant that I had heard so many good things about was closed on Mondays, but that just gives me a reason to go back and visit again on my own time.  In fact, I had a follower greet me outside the temple and attempt to persuade me to join in the movement.  Perhaps I may give it a try!