As a class field trip, we headed downtown to the Kalachadji temple—a Hare Krishna devotee temple that I had visited once before in the past. Upon arrival, I recognized the now familiar arched entryways and the tan stone that climbed towards the roof. Instantly I remembered how our guide had told us that this temple was originally a church. The old architecture showed through beneath the superficial Middle Eastern renovations. When we walked inside, the overwhelming reaction of our class seemed to be curiosity. Being largely unaccustomed to Indian culture, we were unfamiliar with the architecture of the interior and the usual decorating style. The main worshipping room was clad in a layer of dark wood and painted murals that brought out the culture and history behind the religion. The front of the room held a stage, on which sat the two key deities of the Hare Krishna belief system: Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. Hues of gold and purple spilled from their robes and a conflagration of color filled the room with an enigmatic glow that enraptured even me, a devout Christian.

Soon after we entered, our tour guide introduced himself and began telling us about the paintings that colored the walls of the room. The heat of the room made my clothes stick to my skin and clouded my headed. My bare feet stuck uncomfortably to the hard, warm floor and I must admit at times it was difficult to remain focused on the content of the lecture. Our guide, Natyanada, spelled out for us the variety of relationships that devotees can have with Krishna: Friend, admirer, servant, lover, and more—all of which were depicted in the murals around the room. One such mural was of Krishna, who had multiplied himself over ten times to dance with every one of the girls in the image. Each girl he danced with was subject to his precise and complete attention, leaving her feeling as though he loves her more than anyone else. This image exemplifies the way in which the love of a god is far from limited. There is no way in which the love of a god can run out, no matter how far it is spread, just as the love of a father or mother to his or her children is never spread thinly even if there are multiple children. Loving one doesn’t mean you love the other any less. This was the painting that I found to be the most beautiful of all that he showed us.

After the tour and lecture, Natyanada took us to the on-site restaurant where we ate the vegetarian food of India. There was a wide variety of reactions to the unique cuisine, and some of us ate less than others. As this was my second visit to the temple as a member of an Indian History course, I was more zealous in my choices and was far more adventurous than before. Overall, I would say that this trip was excellent learning experience and I would highly recommend it.