The opening of ISKCON Arusha Centre, marks the onset of a new Krishna-conscious age in Tanzania.

Over the last decade the Regional Secretary of East Africa, Umapati Das, along with a handful of devotees headed by Draupadi Rani Devi Dasi and Venu Madhurya Das, have been persistently endevoring to open a centre in Tanzania.

For the past few decades, Tanzania has been predominated by “conveniently theistic” inhabitants. Going to the temple, mosque or church has been more of a formality for the locals than actually a spiritual gesture. However, the new Arusha ISKCON Centre still has been able to grab the attention of masses of people of different social statuses.

After a lengthy struggle, on a bright sunny morning of 29th March 2013, the Govinda’s sweet shop and gift shop was inaugurated. The event was endorsed by various devotees from Nairobi, the donors, locals and Pran Govinda Das from Mumbai. The atmosphere was euphoric with the vibrant and energetic harinam sankirtan.

“The reason for a sweet shop and gift shop, is to break the ice and to break the stereotype of ISKCON being only a contemporary Asian Temple, irrelevant to local Tanzanians” – Venu Madhurya Das, Arusha centre leader explained. The Centre is sustained majorly by the sales from the sweet shop and by the grace of the donors. “We are fortunate to have a handful of the leading businessmen coming forward and financially supporting us. A generous man, for instance, happily offered to advertise our sweet shop and gift shop and various festivals for free.”

Currently, the devotees in Arusha are trying to acquire a moderately larger piece of land towards the city centre. to reduce the proximity issues. In the future, the devotees along with the East African Regional Secretary, are planning to develop the centre and spread in the rest of the areas of Tanzania

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