Devotees of ISKCON Botswana come together to joyfully celebrate 30 years of Krishna consciousness in the nation.

In March 2025, ISKCON Botswana marked its 30th anniversary—not just a milestone of time, but a celebration of spiritual endurance, cultural integration, and the transformative power of community. What began as simple family worship in a Gaborone garage has grown into a radiant beacon of Krishna consciousness in Southern Africa.

“Srila Prabhupada had other plans.”

The story begins in the early 1990s when Devakinandan Das and his wife, Ramapriya Devi Dasi, moved from the UK to Botswana. Though they never intended to start a temple, their home quickly became a center for devotion.

“We were given chota Gaura-Nitai deities by Gadadhar prabhu, then head pujari at Bhaktivedanta Manor,” said Ramapriya. “We weren’t even initiated yet, it was just family worship. But Srila Prabhupada had other plans.”

Ramapriya vividly remembered the transformation of their home: “We converted our garage into a temple room. And when Gurudev, Krishnadas Swami, visited, he saw the effort and declared, ‘This will be ISKCON Botswana.’ It was surreal. We were just a handful of devotees.”

The arrival of Krishna-Balaram deities in 1996, on Narasimha Chaturdasi, marked a spiritual milestone. Ramapriya’s daughter, Rasesvari Devi Dasi, recalled, “They arrived in crates. As kids, we’d peek in to see Them in the room They’d been stored in. Back then, we only knew the Nrsimha prayer, and we sang it for everything, but Their presence was palpable.”

“It was exhausting but joyful.”

Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the family juggled full-time work, parenting, and the growing demands of temple life.

“We’d wake the deities, cook, clean, and host outreach programs at the Hindu Hall with a cassette player blaring Srila Prabhupada’s lectures,” Ramapriya remembered. “Six families did everything. It was exhausting but joyful.”

In 2007, the community began constructing its own temple, a remarkable feat for a small congregation. “Even kids sold cupcakes at malls to raise funds for the construction,” said Keshavananda Das, Ramapriya’s son. “When we moved the deities to their new altar in 2012, it felt like Krishna-Balaram were entering Mathura. We cried. They belonged to everyone now.”

Raghupatiragava Das, a UK-born devotee who visited during the temple’s grand opening and later married Rasesvari, reflected, “The devotion here was raw but powerful, like watching a family build something sacred from scratch. It was deeply humbling, and I’m honored to be a part of that.”

“Krishna-Balaram gained a reputation as miracle workers.”

The journey was not without challenges. Frequent relocations by expatriate families meant that community stability was often disrupted.

“Families often left after a few years,” said Keshavananda. “We’d invest in nurturing devotees, only for them to relocate. It stalled momentum.”

To counter this, his wife, Tulasipriya Devi Dasi, emphasized a forward-thinking strategy: “We’re working to create reasons for them to stay, deeper service roles, leadership opportunities.”

Despite fluctuating membership, Krishna-Balaram remained the community’s spiritual anchor. “Krishna-Balaram gained a reputation as miracle workers,” said lifelong member Ashish Bhatia. “A chemist with chronic pain took Charanamrita and danced the next day. Stories like these drew locals despite variations in fellowship.”

Raghupati added, “We organized a retreat inspired by ISKCON Birmingham. Ninety people spent a day at a farm with team-building games and classes. Some cried, saying, ‘We’ve never felt this before.’”

“For three days, Gaborone became Vrindavan.”

The 30th anniversary celebrations in March 2025 captured the community’s spirit of love and service. Highlights included a three-day kirtan mela, Harinam in Gaborone’s Main Mall, and Botswana’s first-ever Pushpa Abhishek.

“A Motswana elder danced for hours in the Mall,” Ashish recalled. “He said, ‘Krishna’s name is universal.’ His joy shattered stereotypes.”

Yet behind the beauty lay logistical drama. “Bunches of flowers were sourced amid border delays,” said Tulasipriya, laughing. “South African devotees brought marigolds, but ours arrived just in time. The mix of local and international collaboration mirrored our community, Botswana’s soil, global roots.”

Among the international visitors was Johannesburg-based kirtaneer, Krishna Das MacChambers. “Prabhu, Botswana was just amazing,” he said. “It was my first flower festival for Krishna Balaram, and it was absolutely beautiful. There were roses upon roses, just hundreds and hundreds of petals.”

He described the evening’s kirtan as transcendental: “The Vrindavan mellow was just so… Vrindavan, you know? In Botswana! You could feel the Deities were so pleased. Everyone was showering flower petals on each other, completely absorbed in joy and love.”

“The kirtan was on point, the mridangas hitting just right, the melodies perfect, the voices soaring. The whole evening, we were just… flying. At one point, Yogendra Das was singing ‘Jai Jai Radhe, Jai Jai Shyam,’ and I swear, we went from a hundred kilometers per hour to five thousand.”

“Our youth club is the temple’s heartbeat.”

One of the most promising developments is youth engagement. “They’re not waiting; they’re owning ISKCON’s future now,” said Tulasipriya. “Our youth club teaches shlokas, deity care, and outreach. They’re the temple’s heartbeat.”

Rasesvari shared the impact of recent initiations: “Seeing Batswana youth take vows publicly was revolutionary. It showed the movement is still here and alive, it inspired others to want to do the same.”

“Expressing Krishna consciousness in an African idiom.”

Looking ahead, the community is focused on deepening roots through cultural relevance. “We’re planning to engage students through philosophy clubs and kirtan workshops,” said Keshavananda.

Ashish emphasized authenticity: “The expansion of the temple into a broader cultural space is important. I think classes in Setswana, local prasad dishes—these are not gimmicks. They’re ways of expressing Krishna consciousness in an African idiom.”

“The next generation isn’t looking for exotic rituals,” he added. “They want relevance. Real conversations. If we speak their language, literally and spiritually, then Krishna consciousness can thrive.”

He continued, “Music is one of our best bridges. There are kids who could come just to learn mridanga, if we created that doorway…We don’t have to Indianize everything. Krishna’s name is universal.”

Tulasipriya agreed: “We’re exploring collaborations with Batswana dance and music groups. There’s so much already in Tswana culture that aligns—devotion, respect, song. It’s not a foreign concept.”

“Imagine chanting japa under a baobab tree.”

Nature-based retreats are also part of the community’s evolving vision. Shyamananda Das, Ramapriya’s nephew, shared, “Wouldn’t it be something to one day host retreats in the Okavango Delta? Bhakta Brian is out there… Why should people only have to come to us for kirtan? We can go out to them.”

Raghupati recalled, “When we took some of our youth on a retreat last year, it was the first time they really opened up. Nature does that. No distractions. No screens. Just the holy name. People are tired of institutions. But nature, nature still speaks to their hearts.”

“Days move slowly, but years fly”

As ISKCON Botswana steps into its fourth decade, its vision is clear: to nurture an expression of Krishna consciousness that’s authentically African, youth-led, and spiritually grounded. This is not a borrowed tradition, but a blossoming realization that devotion is universal—and that Vrindavan can bloom even in the heart of the Kalahari.

“Days move slowly, but years fly,” Keshavananda reflected. “We just kept serving, and suddenly it’s been 30 years.”

To stay updated on their activities or get in touch, you can visit ISKCON Botswana on Facebook and follow them on Instagram. Photos courtesy of Shyamananda Das.