News Eleven, Festival Underway

Imagine trying to plan a party for 30,000 people.

Priest Caru Das Adikari of the Krishna Temple is doing just that in preparation for the festival of colors in Spanish Fork. The volunteers are in preparation in getting the job done.

People throw bright pink, yellow and purple powdered colors each year to celebrate the season change. It’s a fun, carefree event, but some people say its also a religious one.
“We feel like this is a divinely inspired event and we are following in the footsteps of our lord in organizing it.” said Das Adikari.

Das Adikari prepares for this religious celebration by stocking up the gift shop and working with volunteers.”I’ve actually been working on this festival for a year, arranging the artist and the performers we have local performers who are actually rehearsing this year for a change . . . uh the cooking is a huge event, I mean we are having up to thirty-thousand people here.” he said.

Hundreds of boxes are filled with packets of colors all imported from India totaling over one hundred thousand colors. Krishna believers say the festival celebrates a triumph of good over evil. But most people come for the cultural experience and the throwing of colors.

“It’s kinda a fun cultural experience to go and see what other people believe. But, uh, I think most people go just ’cause it’s fun to throw stuff at each other and get really nasty” said festival goer Rico Christensen.

The shuttle buses, the music, the bonfire and performances are all updated from years past. People can already buy their colors for the highly anticipated event.

Color throwings will take place every two hours starting at ten a.m. on Saturday at the Krishna temple.

WOOFERS Love Utah Krishna Temple

Because of its organic gardens the Krishna temple has been host to a steady stream (the stream will become a flood in the spring growing season!) of 'WOOFERS' this past winter. 'Woofers' are World Wide Organic Farmers, young people from all over the world, who contact host farms and work 4 hours daily for room and board. Here are their comments as posted of the WWOOFA web site.

12/24/2010 9:39:26 AM
by sbrooney87 from Chicago
Really a great experience! Awesome! I came in December when when one wouldn't expect there to be a lot of learning and work to be done outside but there was. Activities went from building a cold frame, to mulching carrots to helping pull a fountain out of ice with a person scouting in a boat.
The hospitality and community were also about as good as you can expect. Immediately I was treated like a family member. They were so receptive to teach my about their faith but were not preachy or intrusive about it in the slightest. It was also very relaxing, probably due partly to the yoga and meditation. I can just imagine what it would be like in the growing season, with the one-two punch of agriculture and mountains all around, and then religious practices and yoga. Truly a unique experience.

1/18/2011 11:20:19 AM by keithmak from Toronto, girl friend Japan
Definitely a UNIQUE & different experience from the usual wwoof host. My girlfriend and I were a bit worried about finding hosts during the Christmas / New Years holiday but Caru and the Krishna Community welcomed us with open arms. We have been here for three weeks and counting.
This is a community of Hare Krishna devotees living and serving at the temple.
Everyone we met has warmly received us like family. The living accomodation is luxurious and the building & surroundings beautiful.
They were glad to share with us their religion, but never forced it upon us. Although we do not share the same beliefs, we were never put into any uncomfortable situations.
Although it was the winter season, we still spent time outdoors helping mainly with the llamas. Also, we spent lots of time in the kitchen helping with their daily vegetarian buffet. Indeed, you will NEVER go hungry here as the buffet is always open. The work is very flexible & reasonable with the opportunity to work on the jobs that most interest you.
We are really enjoying our time here and had our all expectations met. They are upstanding and genuinely caring wwoof hosts. You are bound to have a positive experience if you decide to visit.
Wwoofing during the growing season must be very interesting. With the opportunity to grow & cook food from the gardens + the hiking trails, mountains, and hot springs around.

Unique Opportunities:
- Daily Meditation, Chanting, Hare Krishna philosophy classes, yoga.
- Learning about Indian culture, dress, and cooking!

1/25/2011 4:12:22 PM by Katingale from Montana
I stayed at the Krishna temple for a week in January 2011. I found the community so embracing and inspiring it immediately felt like I'd joined a new family. The temple offers a wonderful opportunity to experience another culture and I highly recommend immersing yourself in the lifestyle--learn to cook Indian entrées and join evening yoga, meditation and chanting groups. The mountain scenery is fantastic and I hope to visit again in the summer time when the garden is growing and the llamas are heading out with hikers.

3/3/2011 4:23:00 PM by leviduke from Vermont
I would nearly go as far as saying that my life would never have been complete without a stop here. My accommodations were top-notch (especially the food), but that's secondary. A stay at this Hare Krishna temple is almost like a retreat to perfect soul body and mind. If you choose, you can learn yoga, cooking, meditation, and about the Vedic texts and spirituality in general. What keeps the pulse here beating so strongly is the familial community of interesting, caring, spiritual devotees, which you will quickly find yourself a part of if you are respectful and helpful.

Daily Herald: Festival of Colors Gears up for Record Crowds

The white-hot juggernaut that is the annual Holi Festival of Colors at the Krishna Temple shows no signs of slowing down.

In 2007, 3,000 people attended, celebrating spring by throwing 5,000 packets of colored flour at each other. In 2008 attendance tripled to 10,000, and the crowd snatched up 20,000 color packs.

Both attendance and the number of packets sold have continued to increase each year, said temple priest Caru Das. This year, hoping to raise $200,000 toward the purchase of a new property in Salt Lake City, the festival will offer a staggering 100,000 packets for sale at $2 each. And how many people will attend is anyone's guess -- certainly many thousands.

To handle the crowds, the temple has arranged for the use of 3,000 parking spaces, and shuttle buses will take festivalgoers to the temple. The festival has been expanded over two days, and for the first time, color-throwing will happen every two hours on both days. The goal is to spread the crush of people over different days and times.

"They can come and go when they want to, with no rush to get here," Das said. Read more...

ISKCON Utah Looks to Open New Center in Salt Lake City

Now, Charu’s dreaming about Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City. The ISKCON Spanish Fork president has his eye on a 3.74-acre property, previously used as a school by the mostly vegetarian Seventh Day Adventists.

Read more: http://news.iskcon.com/node/3447#ixzz1Evm2nmnS

Krishna Temple Field Trip, Sp Fork Junior High

Krishna Temple Field Trip

by david.thacker | Mon, 10/25/2010 - 07:09

Previous | Image 5 of 5 | Next

Sri Hanuman showing the students how to do a push up

Attributions:

by: Laura Carter

World Geography students at Spanish Fork Junior High School had a field trip to the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple Tuesday, October 19. They were welcomed Caru Das. Sri Hanuman introduced the students to the animals they care for. Students were allowed to hold the birds, lead the llamas, and compete in a llama race up the hill to the temple where many of the llamas had different ideas about the race and dug in their heels.

Caru Das then gave the students an insightful presentation on India and the foundations for their beliefs. Upstairs, Sri Hanuman led the students in Yoga that left many students realizing how out of shape they really are. He really took our finest football players and athletes to task with push-ups!

Finally, the students were provided with a wonderful buffet lunch trying out many vegetarian dishes. Many students felt that cultural misconceptions were dispelled that day and many talked about taking their families there to experience this wonderful cultural resource in our community. We, students and Geography teachers at Spanish Fork Junior High School, want to thank the owners Caru Dasa for his great hospitality and willingness to teach us about their world.

A Guide to promoting a Religion in Mormon Dominated Utah

The whole website was excellently crafted. The Sri Krishna devotees were well aware that their religion was often misunderstood. They were especially sensitive to what was the common belief here in Utah. Read More...

India fest Utah 2010

These are videos in two parts of the 24th annual Festival of India, held at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. The first video covers stage performances of dance, including Odissi, Bharat Natyam and Kathak, and some enthusiastic kirtan & dancing in the temple room The lower video offers scenes from the Ramayana drama and the burning of Ravan with flaming arrows and spectacular fireworks.

We'd like to thank the cast members of the Ramayana. Rajiv and Geeta Sharma as Sita and Rama: Anand Rao as Lakshmana, Divya Drsti as Manthara, Ganga Shibonis as Keikeyi & ogress, Vishnu Priya as Suparnyakha, Jai Krishna as Hanuman, Bharat, & Maricha, Ritchie Franklin as Ravana & Dasaratha, Slavco as Jatayu, and Julio Frazier as monkey soldier.

Holi Photo wins AP award

by Dave Greiling
Last Edit: Jun 11 2010 - 11:22pm

Erin Hooley received recognition Thursday night for the outstanding work she did as a Standard-Examiner photojournalist during 2009.

The occasion was the annual awards ceremony for the regional Associated Press organization, which includes newspapers in Utah, Idaho and eastern Washington.
Erin's photos won first-place awards in the feature and general news categories.

And, to top off her night, the photo that won in general news, "Welcome Home Kids", was also picked as Best of Show. She shot the photo at Hill Air Force Base in May 2009 as airmen from the 388th and 419th fighter wings returned from duty in Iraq.

Erin said the winning photo was just one of several that she liked from among those she took at the homecoming.

"I think the judges liked it because it's Americana, kind of iconic," she said.

The judges called the photo well-composed and beautiful. The same photo also won top honors in the general news category in May 2009 in the National Press Photographers Association regional clip contest.

The Best of Show photo is shown with this column.

Her winning feature photo was shot at Holi, the festival of colors held at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork.

Erin is a native of Boulder, Colo., and a graduate of the University of Colorado. She has been with the Standard-Examiner for two and a half years.

Dave Greiling is managing editor of the Standard-Examiner. He may be reached at 801-625-4224 or via e-mail at dgreiling@standard.net

16th Annual Llama Fest

When: July 17th, 2010

Where: Krishna Temple, South Main, Spanish Fork
Contacts: Charu or Vai 798-3559/787-1510
Web Site: www.utahvalleyllamas.com


The 16th Annual Llama Fest will be held at Krishna Temple and Utah Valley Llama Farm two miles south of Spanish Fork on Main St. The event is scheduled for July 17th.

Music at Llama Fest In their native Peru, Chile, and Bolivia, llamas carry heavy loads over terrain which is impassable to motorized vehicles. They are the trucks of the Andes. In America, life is much easier where they have become popular for carrying camping gear on weekend hikes and day trips. Many have found a niche as sheep guards on the open range. Still others, like an RV purchased with good intentions but somehow never used, spend their lives simply munching grass and looking gorgeous and exotic to passers by.

The Llama Fest was originally conceived as an opportunity to highlight Llamas and their owners in the most public way possible: in the overall cultural context of food, music, spinning and weaving demonstrations, music, dance, and competitions between the llamas and their handlers. “If an average attendance of 4,000-5,000 is a public enough event,” says festival coordinator Chris Warden, “ then we’ve been successful.

"This is an event which offers more than many festivals. Other festivals have booths,Llama, Boy, & Ramp exhibits, and some food. Above that, any festival that has good, live entertainment will definitely be successful: if over and above that, you have llamas, which everyone likes, and which are relatively safe for children, then you have really got something that nobody else can offer."

‘We have over 50 llamas ourselves at KHQN Radio/Utah Valley Llamas and we encourage other llamas owners from all over the state to bring their animals. It’s a nice family outing where the kids will compete on the obstacle course and show ring with their llamas for ribbons, and the parents and grandparents will cheer them on.”

The Llama Fest features a baby llama (cria) corral where the children can fraternize with their animal counterparts. There is a beautiful baby contest as well as a costumed event.

Continuous live music and dance on the outdoor stage will come from Alborada, Kausachun Peru, The Good Karma Blues Band, and Center Stage Performing Arts. Richard Christensen has been to every Llama Fest since 1995. “Early on in the evening, it’s nice to watch the llamas and their handlers. The llamas are well groomed, graceful, and gentle. It’s like watching living art to the background music of the Andes. Towards dusk the beat picks up and many of the younger folks, like myself, like to dance.”

Food booths will offer such south of the border favorites as chili, nachos, emphanadas, braised vegetables with fried curd, bread pudding, spicy wraps, and lemon mango fruit drinks.

A good selection of Andean craft items like jewelry, rugs, shawls, carvings and clothing will be available on site. Please note there are 600 parking spaces on the temple property. Parking is free. There is no need to park on the road, and walk a long way to the event.

Llama Race at Krishna TempleBring the whole family for a fun and educational experience. Admission is $3.00 per person or $1.00/children. Llama Fest XVI is sponsored in part by a grant from the Utah Arts Council & The National Endowment for the Arts.

** Please note there are 600 parking spaces on the temple property. Parking is free. There is no need to park on 
the road, and walk a long way to the event.

Directions:
If you are coming south on I - 15, take exit 257, turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp and travel three miles to the temple. You'll proceed through Spanish Fork (about 5 traffic lights) on Main St. (which changes its name to State Road), and continue another 1 1/2 semi rural miles. The temple is highly visible on a hill to the right hand side. Coming north on I - 15 exit at 253, turn right at the exit ramp stop sign, and follow the signs to Krishna's Lotus Temple. (801) 798-3559

For more information, or to volunteer help before and during the event, call 798-3559/787-1510. Visit our web site at www.utahvalleyllamas.org

Volunteer information : the following volunteers at Llama Fest will be rewarded with a free meal and/or festival T-shirt (discretion of managers). Those who volunteer to help with parking will receive BOTH meals and T-shirt.

• Pre-festival cooking, Tuesday, Wednesday July 16, 17, 
9 am - 1 pm. Come for all or part of the time.

• Grooming llamas and festival set up, Noon - 3 pm

• Parking Attendants (shifts) 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm or
 5:00 pm - 8 pm

• Traffic Control 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm

• Food Service 3:30 pm- 6:00 pm or
 6:00 - 8:30 pm

• Cria Corral 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm or
 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm.

All fees for admission ($3.00 adult $ 1.00 child) 
apply as well to volunteers.

Nobody Knows How to Bring in Spring like..

This is a great video clip of the Holi fest, followed by one or two others.
Next >

Spanish Fork Junior High School Tour

From the School Web Site:
"100 World Geography students at Spanish Fork Junior High School had a field trip to the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple Tuesday, October 19. They were welcomed by Vai Devi, who introduced the students to the animals they care for. Students were allowed to hold the birds, lead the llamas, and compete in a llama race up the hill to the temple where many of the llamas had different ideas about the race and dug in their heels.

Caru Dasa then gave the students an insightful presentation on India and the foundations for their beliefs. Upstairs, Sri Hanuman led the students in Yoga that left many students realizing how out of shape they really are. Elizabeth Cope said that she “hurt really badly” after the yoga lesson. Finally, the students were provided with a wonderful buffet lunch trying out many vegetarian dishes. Sierra Jensen said, “Going to the Krishna Temple was a great experience. It gave me an understanding of Hinduism.” Many students felt that cultural misconceptions were dispelled that day and many talked about taking their families there to experience this wonderful asset in our community. We, students and Geography teachers at Spanish Fork Junior High School, want to thank the owners Caru Dasa and his wife Vaibhavi Devi Dasi for their gracious hospitality and willingness to teach us about their world."

Provo Daily Herald on Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple

Ask any Spanish Fork resident and they will be able to point you in the direction of one of the most unique buildings in town and possibly in the whole state. Perched on a hill just south of downtown Spanish Fork stands the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple. Completed in 2001, the Krishna Indian Temple certainly stands out among the surrounding rural fields. Read More...

School Field Trip to Krishna Temple

Blog by Brian & Kristin Barlow



Olivia, Acacia and I joined Ainsley's 2nd grade class for a unique field trip to the Here Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork earlier this week. I had no idea they had a temple in Utah let alone 25 minutes from here. It was really interesting. Read more...