I gave her a coin and tasted the sweet. Wow, this was great, man, I loved it! How did they call it, by the way? halava? Bengali laddu? I thought: “No doubt, this is coming from another planet!” Actually, I had already seen the young lady at the movies a couple of weeks ago. She was the main character of a documentary film called “Religion of smile” depicting the story of Satarupa devi dasi, a world well-known Danish top model who had become a Hare Krishna devotee in Paris. Now, here was Satarupa, right in front of me, kindly inviting me to visit the Radha-Krishna temple. The young lady left and I opened the magazine. Starting to read, I felt attracted as if by a magnet. Turning the pages on and on, I thought: “’Back to Godhead’ is such a curious name indeed, for a French magazine!” I hardly understood anything of what I read; yet, the pictures were irresistibly attracting, as well as an article written by the guru, Srila Prabhupada.
Bhavasindhu dasa

One week or two later, on a Sunday afternoon, I convinced my mother to go along with my little sister and visit the Hare Krishna temple, 4 rue Lesueur, near the Champs-Elysées avenue. When we both came in, I found the atmosphere really far out. I could not catch what it was all about, but was thrilled by the whole thing. Odour of individuals, incense, flowers and ghee mixed together filled the air with a very special aroma. After what seemed to be a ceremony – people jumping up and down just like mad men, shaved up and bare feet, God! - a devotee, apparently the leader of the group, dressed in white, with a dark blue collared pullover, speaking a good French with a heavy American accent, said, very coolly, a few words that I found really special: “This Krishna consciousness is coming down from the spiritual sky. It is purely transcendental”. He then asked the audience to please remain seated, as prasadam – vegetarian food offered to Krishna - would be served in a little while. He was Yogesvara, the temple president. I had seen him on the documentary film too, as well as a few others who were now here. After taking puris, chutney and again halava, I became convinced that it was not only strange, but all simply wonderful. Little after, I decided for myself that yes - although I could not say why - I was definitely one of them. Without telling my parents, I soon started to visit the temple regularly on Sundays, just for the sake of tasting delicious prasadam. I remember that one day, as a devotee was turning his back, I filled up my pockets with laddus and ran away lest someone would catch me back.. A college friend would sometimes come with me.

As I learnt later, the Hare Krishna bhaktas had been in France for a couple of years already. Tamal Krishna Goswami2 and a few other French speaking American or Canadian bhaktas had started to do Harinam in Paris in 1968 or 1969. Among them were Umapati and Hanuman. Some American boys, who were students in Paris, had joined the group. Two of them would be soon initiated as Harivilas and Locananda. 3 friends, young French girls – Joëlle, Evelyne and Monique – little after became Jyotirmayi – who later married Yogesvara – Ilavati – who became Umapati’s wife – and Mondakini who went to London and married Madhavendra puri, years after. The “Société internationale pour la conscience de Krishna”3, was incorporated in 1970. A small temple was established in Locananda’s apartment, in Porte d’Orléans area in Paris. Then the group had moved to a big detached house in Fontenay-aux roses, 7 kilometres south of Paris. In Fontenay-aux-roses, Sri Sri Jagannath-Baladeva-Subhadra were carved and installed in a little gardener booth. On his way back from Moscow in 1971, Srila Prabhupada visited that place and, on this occasion, gave a speech in “l’Olympia”, a famous Paris music hall. Many French boys and girls were now joining ISKCON. Bhagavan, a new leader, and his wife Krishna Bamini had arrived from Buffalo, USA, to preach Krishna consciousness in Europe. Many others also came from America or Canada, such as Indradyumna, Aditi or Visvambhara, to name only a few of them. The house in Fontenay had become far too small, and the temple moved to inner Paris, rue Lesueur, in a very wealthy area. Srila Pabhupada visited the rue Lesueur Temple in summer 1973 and installed Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Parisisvara there. A rural ashram, “La Nouvelle Mayapur”, was also established near Châteauroux, in the centre of France. In those days, one would often meet the devotees performing Harinam sankirtan in Paris.

Once, in 1976, as I hurried towards the temple on Sunday, there was some unusual agitation in the street. One or two vans were parked nearby, doors wide opened. Some bhaktas were sitting in the vehicles and others were eagerly rushing to get in. I anxiously inquired about the program and one devotee told me in a very excited tone: “No there is no Sunday program today, everyone is going to the farm to meet Srila Prabhupada. He is already there. The temple in Paris will be closed for a few days. You can come with us to New Mayapur if you want; there is room in the van, just take off your shoes!” I paused for a moment and finally, regretfully, decided not to go, wondering what my parents would have said. This was how I missed the opportunity to meet Srila Prabhupada. I wanted to become a devotee, but thought it wise to first remain at school for a few years more. Another time, probably in the beginning of summer 1977, I saw a little handwritten note on a paper, stuck on the door of the kitchen of the temple: “O Lord Krishna, please give protection to Srila Prabhupada, who is seriously ill, so that he recovers quickly”. I started my law studies at the university in October 1977 and found no more time to visit the temple. I did not know that Srila Prabhupada, in November that year, had left our physical vision.

article index
page 1 - current : Religion of Smile
page 2 : Rue Vieille-du-Temple
page 3 : “L’Arbre-à-souhaits” and New Dvarka puri