In March of last year, the GBC authorized The Spiritual Embassy of ISKCON CIS Countries, commonly known as the Russian Center, in Sridham Mayapur. December 2007 saw the birth of the Center and a bright future for the Russian ISKCON community.

The idea of spiritual embassies goes back some years — Harikesa Swami included it in his original masterplan for Mayapur in the 1990s. He hoped that with the appearance of the Rising Moon Temple of Lord Caitanya (Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir), Mayapur would become a spiritual capital of the world, accommodating many nations. Now that dream is coming to life.

The Russian Center will facilitate and serve Russian devotees who are visiting or living in Mayapur Dham and India in general. Plans include a complex with an educational center, guesthouse, restaurant, hospice, and information center. A museum will show the history of Krsna Consciousness in the former Soviet Union, and The Center will also organize parikramas and seminars. You can visit the official website, www.mayapur.ru, now for up-to-date information in Russian.

If you speak Russian, plan to come to Mayapur for Gaura-Purnima 2008 and need some help, or want to participate in the Russian Center’s development, just contact the Russian Center Committee at info108@mayapur.ru. They’ll be happy to serve you.