Historically, ISKCON Brooklyn, New York, was perhaps the greatest center of book distribution in the world. The huge amounts of books distributed from Brooklyn, meanwhile, contributed much of the funds to build flagship ISKCON centers such as the Juhu temple in Mumbai, and Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. For the past twenty years, however, book distribution came to a complete standstill in Brooklyn.
The first Janmastami festival organized by the new ISKCON management at Brooklyn’s Radha Govinda Mandir focused on improving the pilgrim experience to create lasting positive impressions for devotees and visitors alike.
On Sri Balaram Jayanti Mahotsava (the Appearance Day of Lord Balaram), ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission (“GBC”) and the Board of Directors of Bharati Center, Inc. (“Brooklyn Temple” or “Temple") won a notable victory in the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court.
Many ISKCON devotees around the world are now aware of the conflict and court cases that took place over the past few years regarding managerial authority of the Sri Sri Radha Govinda Mandir in Brooklyn, New York City.
The first topic up for discussion in the afternoon March 7th, was ISKCON’s Radha-Govinda Temple in Brooklyn, NY. The last few years have seen conflict over the managerial authority of the temple, prompted by an earlier proposed sale of the property.
Radha-Govinda Temple in Brooklyn, NY, also known as Bharati Center, has been restored to the control of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, due to arecent decision of the New York State Supreme Court for Kings County.
On January 19, 2018, an emergency hearing was held in New York Supreme Court for Kings County on an application for a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) enjoining the Bharati Center Board led by Ramabhadra Das (the "Ramabhadra Board") “from interfering with any congregant’s attendance at worship, service and other religious functions in the ISKCON Bharati Center house of worship in Brooklyn, NY.”
As the Hare Krishna Society builds a lavish new temple in India, it is struggling to control a faction in the city where the religion was born.
New York Supreme Court for Kings County Room was filled with Krishna devotees opposing a petition seeking approval of the sale of their temple in Brooklyn. Also appearing in court to oppose the proposed sale were attorneys for ISKCON's Governing Body Commission (GBC), an attorney for the newly reconstituted Bharati Center board, and a New York Assistant Attorney General.
According to a report received by the GBC Brooklyn Temple Sale Committee, it appears that the New York State Office of the Attorney General has declined to approve the pending sale of the Hare Krishna temple property in Brooklyn.
The GBC, ISKCON’s ultimate managing authority, is attempting to remove Ramabhadra Dasa as president of the ISKCON Sri Sri Radha-Govinda Temple at 305 Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn.
The pending sale of ISKCON’s Radha Govinda Temple in Brooklyn has generated interest, concern and even controversy not only among members of the Hare Krishna Movement in the New York metropolitan area but also among members and well-wishers of the Hare Krishna Movement worldwide.
In order to foster openness, inclusivity and awareness of the issues arising from the pending sale, ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission hosted an informational town hall meeting in the Dweck Auditorium of the Brooklyn Public Library on May 15, 2017. This video of the meeting has been released for Movement-wide educational and informational purposes.
On Monday May 15th ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission hosted a Town Hall Meeting to explain why it is opposing the pending sale of Brooklyn’s Radha Govinda Mandir, and what it plans to do about it.
The pending sale of ISKCON’s Radha Govinda Mandir has been a matter of interest, concern and even controversy among temple board members, congregational members, devotees and interested persons in the New York metropolitan area and elsewhere, especially in light of the GBC Body’s stated opposition to this sale transaction. In order to foster openness, inclusivity and greater awareness of the current state of affairs as well as to dispel confusion and misconceptions, last year’s GBC Executive Committee will host an ISKCON Informational Town Hall Meeting.