Pioneering Devotees Open ISKCON Center in Minneapolis, MN, USA

A new ISKCON Bhakti Yoga Center in South Minneapolis is opening up in the heart of the city at 4000 Minnehaha Avenue. The location is within two miles of the University of Minnesota (with over 35,000 students) and various other private colleges, with easy access on the city bus line. The vibrant cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, often called the Twin Cities, have a combined population of over 3.5 million.

Since Srila Prabhupada established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Minnesota has had three ISKCON home temples, but none have remained active. For over a decade. a large and growing devotee community has been holding various home programs around the Twin Cities and gathering for some of the more significant festivals, all the time exploring the possibility of having a spiritual home base. 

“We returned from the ecstatic Naperville Temple grand opening at the end of April with a renewed vision, desire, and determination,” said Rama Kisora Dasa, one of the founding members. “By May 15th, we had formed a new non-profit, ISKCON Minnesota, and began searching for a preaching center. By the end of June, Krishna guided us to the perfect spot, and we signed the lease on July 24th.”  The devotee affectionately considers their project “Matchless Gifts 2 in the Midwest.”

With the building secured, devotees are now working hard to prepare the interior for a grand opening sometime in September-October 2023. They invite the entire ISKCON family to join them for this auspicious beginning. This week, they hosted a painting party, and devotees and guests will start meeting for kirtan, class, and prasada each Sunday at 4:30 pm beginning August 6th.

Because of its ideal location, the center plans to be a hub of spiritual activity, not just a Sunday Feast location. “The center will offer Bhakti Yoga classes and Vedic wisdom classes and allow like-minded people to explore the ancient wisdom of the Vedas,” said Sauri Dasa, another founding member, “This center will also look forward to starting various programs for a broad range of ages and backgrounds and will be an asset to the larger community, focused on leading a spiritually peaceful life.” 

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