Nestled in the vibrant city of Oslo, Norway, the ISKCON Oslo Yatra is a community that has undergone significant growth and transformation over the years. The Oslo temple serves as a beacon of spirituality in one of the world’s most secular countries, serving both long-standing devotees and newcomers to Krishna consciousness. At the helm of this dynamic congregation is Sanatani Dasi, the temple president, whose leadership and dedication have guided the Yatra through its challenges and helped it flourish.

In an interview with ISKCON News, Sanatani reflected on the evolving nature of her service and the challenges of managing a growing congregation. “I’ve been cooking the Sunday feast, giving the class, leading the kirtan, doing the arati, doing the offering—everything for a Sunday program instead of trusting and engaging other people,” she explained, emphasizing the difficulties of balancing perfectionism with leadership. She highlighted the shift in focus that occurred after a visit from Gaura Narayan Das, who encouraged her and the temple’s management team to delegate more and cultivate new leaders. “He inspired us to get in contact with Pradyumna Das, a disciple of Jayadvaita Swami, who is now mentoring us on how to become better leaders instead of managers,” she added. This mentorship has been a critical turning point in helping Sanatani and her team build a more sustainable and inclusive leadership structure.

Sanatani’s spiritual journey began in Denmark in 2007, and she later moved to Norway in 2010, where she immediately became involved in various temple services and activities. At that time, the temple housed the deities of Gaura-Gadadhara – traditionally, a somewhat unusual set for ISKCON temples. However, before her arrival, when ISKCON in Norway was larger, the community had been cared for by Vaishnavi Dasi and Tilakanth Das, with Sadbhuja as the presiding deity. Vaishnavi had also established and run Krishna’s Cuisine, a Govinda’s restaurant located in the heart of the city, for over 20 years. To this day, Krishna’s Cuisine continues to thrive under the leadership of Jalendra Das.

Upon returning from Vrindavan after completing her Bhakti Shastri studies in 2012, Sanatani’s connection with Jagannath deepened. “I was really attached to Jagannath, and out of the blue, I got an email from a Swedish lady saying, ‘I have all these deities. I cannot worship them anymore. Can you please take them?'” Sanatani recalled. When she returned to Norway, she was greeted by a beautiful, hand-carved set of Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra deities from Puri. These deities became the heart of the temple, and under Sanatani’s care, ISKCON Oslo’s devotional focus was reinvigorated.

Janmastami Celebrations at ISKCON Oslo.

Despite the temple’s steady growth, leading the Oslo Yatra has not been without its challenges. The demands of balancing personal life, full-time work as a teacher, and temple duties began to take a toll on Sanatani, especially as her daughter expressed a desire for more time together. “At one point she said to me, ‘Mama, can’t we do like other kids in my class do on Sundays?'” Sanatani shared. Recognizing the need for change, she reorganized her temple responsibilities, now serving every other Sunday – alternating the service with Diptiman-Prema, when her daughter is with her father. This adjustment has allowed Sanatani to strike a healthier balance between her family and temple service. This shift has also made her more attentive to the needs of other devotees within the community.

One of the most significant shifts in ISKCON Oslo’s approach has been its growing focus on newcomers and youth. The temple has made deliberate efforts to engage younger generations, who Sanatani sees as the future of the Yatra. “We hope that ISKCON youth, a project headed by managing team members, Kusum-Sarovara, will expand and grow and that they will be very inspired because they’re the future, right?” she noted. In addition, the temple has set its sights on purchasing property to establish a more permanent base for the community in the future. “We’ve been wanting for a long time to buy property to establish ourselves better, but we need that inner core to grow,” she said, explaining that while the temple is currently renting, their long-term vision includes creating a space that can better support the Yatra’s expansion.

The congregation’s efforts are bolstered by unique support from the Norwegian government, which provides funding to religious societies based on their registered members. “For every member, we have that sign up with their details, we get support from the government every year,” Sanatani explained, highlighting the importance of this state funding in their ongoing efforts to save for a permanent temple.

ISKCON Oslo devotees at the Scandinama festival in the capital.

Sanatani’s vision for the future of ISKCON Oslo is rooted in growth and community development. With plans to expand their youth programs, continue cultivating authentic Krishna Conscious connections, and introduce more Brahmachari training, the Yatra is on a trajectory toward becoming a vibrant hub for Krishna consciousness in Scandinavia. One of their most exciting initiatives is the annual Scandinama festival, a Scandinavian Holy Name Festival that attracts kirtaniyas from around the world. “We invite…Kirtaniyas here, since Kirtan is popular and I love Kirtan,” Sanatani shared with enthusiasm, underscoring her dedication to fostering a deep connection to devotional music within the Yatra.

As ISKCON Oslo moves forward, it is clear that Sanatani’s leadership, along with the collaborative efforts of the entire congregation, is steering the community toward a bright and dynamic future. Sanatani encouraged participation from those interested in visiting or contributing to the Yatra. “If someone wants to come and help us or do projects, they’re very welcome. We love visitors here.”

Sanatani’s journey reflects personal growth and the development of ISKCON Oslo into a thriving spiritual community deeply connected to both its members and its wider mission of spreading Krishna consciousness. To get in touch with the ISKCON Oslo team, devotees can email them and iskconoslo@gmail.com, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates.