Frequently asked Questions about Saranagati, helping locals and pilgrims navigate their experience.
This is the launch of a series of posts dedicated to clearing common misconceptions, addressing frequently asked questions, and shining the light of truth.
Topics will include the current state of affairs in the Saranagati community, with a focus on membership, visitors, and cow protection.
Comments and ask further questions are welcomed below:
Today, the answer is no. Whether or not you are welcome to attend the Sunday evening program depends on when you visit the temple. During the winter (October to March) the temple closes at 5:00pm. There is a Sunday program in the winter at 5:30pm for temple members only.
Guests may be welcome to the Sunday evening program during the other parts of the year. Check the ISKCON Saranagati temple website for more details: saranagatitemple.com
Temple Winter Hours
Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Except Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Visitors often inquire about any events that may be happening while they are in the valley.
Saranagati hosts one public event each year, that is Ratha Yatra. Some other Vaisnava festivals may be open to the public, depending on the circumstance. These functions request that you register before attending.
Since Saranagati is a private residential area, events going on consist of private parties and family functions. Some of these take place at the temple, festival site and people's homes.
Many people wonder about who makes up the population within the Saranagati Valley. There is a lack of multimedia content depicting locals going about their daily lives. However, some films which are produced during festivals like Ratha Yatra give the impression that there are many Indians/Bharatiyas in Saranagati. This couldn't be further from the truth.
Of the fifty-some shareholders with a stake in the land, there are but three of Bharat origin. Two of these shareholders only visit seasonally and have faced many challenges attempting to establish themselves. The other family will soon be selling their share and moving. There are personal reasons as well as sociological issues that contribute to this demographic.
Visiting Bharatiyas who ask about the possibilities of moving here and becoming established are often met with unclear answers about complications, limitations, and general discouragement. While there are ways to become connected, it depends on who you talk to, because everyone has a different perspective.
Saranagati is sometimes incorrectly referred to as an eco village. To illuminate any possible misconceptions, we must define what an eco village is.
This definition is taken from theecovillageexperience.net:
"a community, either traditional or intentional, which aims at becoming more socially, culturally, economically, and ecologically sustainable"
In the early years, the founding members of Saranagati had the intention to live simply, following a traditional lifestyle based on agriculture and cow protection. While aspects of this high vision were realized, the full manifestation remains incomplete.
The modern day Saranagati is exactly that, modern. Households operate individually and depend on gas generators, propane water heating systems, and food from the supermarket to maintain a lifestyle with convenience, in the the beauty of the countryside.
From theecovillageexperience.net:
In the four pillars approach to sustainability, sustainability is defined as the precise intersection of environment, economy, society, and culture.
More precisely, a sustainable community is a community which:
