New Vrindaban hosts open house at Palace of Gold

The New Vrindaban community hosted its first open house at the Palace of Gold to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The event aimed to engage local residents from surrounding areas like Moundsville and Wheeling, providing an opportunity for the public to learn about the community's culture and philosophy.

Visitors participated in various activities, including tours of the Palace of Gold and the temple, kirtan singing, meditation, and Indian food tastings. The programming also featured henna tattoos, sari tying, oxen cart rides, and performances on a central stage. To address historical misconceptions and past controversies, the community provided an ‘Ask Me Anything’ tent where visitors could discuss the community's history and daily life with longtime members.

Organizers emphasized that the event was intended to be a non-threatening way to show the community's current identity and dispel lingering impressions of it being a cult.