“An ambitious society” – reflections on the Krishna Valley in Hungary
By Zsófia Kunvári
It is almost midday. He finally arrives on his bike to the campus, carrying the food that he will soon distribute among hungry university students. He serves the dishes one after the other while the music is playing from his carriage; once in a while, someone drops a donation into the tin. Few take a better look at him, and even less start a conversation. For most, he is the “Hare Krishna guy” who brings the “free food.”
The religion – rooting in Hindu beliefs – was founded in 1966 in the United States and used to be associated with the hippie movement. It quickly found its way to the other side of the ocean, even beyond the Iron Curtain. A mere 23 years later, the Hungarian state, living up to its new democratic values, recognised the association of the Krishna believers as a church.
So how did a religion, so different from any other practiced in the region, find its way into a country that is nowadays often associated with its hostile attitude to alien cultures? Here, this is a rather rhetorical question that requires a more thorough anthropological research to answer. What can be said, however, is that the community and their beliefs are acknowledged and even admired by many.
This admiration is not necessarily addressed to the unwavering chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra or the Indian clothing. Rather, it is the lifestyle, and in particular, the Krishna Valley. Founded 25 years ago on a 280 ha cornfield in the west of Hungary, the valley grew to be considered an outstanding example of self-sustainability.
The nearest significant city is about 40 minutes away by car, and if one embarks on a journey using one of the rather scanty public transport options, it may take hours to reach it. As I drove through the village and took a left turn to the paved road that will soon lead us to the entrance of the valley itself, I was struck by the sudden change of scene: organised gardens, a lake with water lilies floating on top, and numerous small pavilions. The two elephant sculptures at the entrance leave quite an impression. It is possible to leave the car here or drive even further into the settlement itself, eventually parking the vehicle next to the greenhouse. I decided to make my visit on the day of the gastronomic festival and, while its turnout is a far cry from the 3-day festivity held earlier in the summer called “Búcsú,” it still attracted a great deal of curious visitors. The event offered traditional vegetarian food made outdoors, dance performances, talks, and guided tours around the valley.
The valley welcomes visitors all year around – although not all parts are for the public eye. According to a helpful young girl who lives there, it is normally completely quiet and peaceful.
Such difference in culture, lifestyle, and the physical isolation created a popular belief that this community is detached from society and reality alike. Even though distance may allow them to develop their society according to their own values, it is not automatically akin to isolation.
Kundavāli Devi Dāsī gave a lengthy tour around the temple, highlighting the key values of their life. In addition, she told the impressive story of the cornfield turned into a safe haven – all with a wide smile in the boiling heat. On multiple occasions, she called the valley a “törekvő társadalom” which can be translated to an “ambitious society.” The fact that after 25 years they have managed to run a bio farm, a cattle reserve and even an accredited school without connection to the regional electricity supply is indeed remarkable. She phrased this, jokingly, in the form of a popular proverb that “one shall stretch only as far as the blanket lasts”, but no one said that the blanket cannot be made bigger.
Those 30,000 visitors in a year themselves refute the misbelief of isolation. If we look further, we can see other evidence too for their strong ties with the outside world. In the past years, the registered church came fourth in the line of the most financially supported churches after the Catholics, Calvinists and Lutherans. Every event and festivity has numerous donation tins put out inviting visitors to support them in their “religious purposes.” Besides being present on social media platforms, creating vlogs and such, they run an online shopping site for their natural beauty and health products. They may not watch the news on television but the world finds its way into the valley too. Kundavāli Devi Dāsī provided a striking example herself. Explaining karma, action and reaction on her podium in the temple, she made an interesting choice to illustrate her argument. Instead of centuries old wisdoms and examples, she asked a simple question: “Where are the migrants heading?” Immediately serving with an answer, she pressed that the final destination of migrants are the once colonising states. She elaborated that it is not only the country that carries the weight of the karma that colonising entailed, but also all the people living in it. While I can only speculate about the intentions behind her choice of illustration, it was certainly one that evoked strong reactions and steered back the attention of the spectators who had already wished to leave the hot and crowded room.
Self-sustainability, after it has been established, has the capacity to be upheld without outside support. An ambitious society with an aspiration to make the blanket bigger, however, needs a helping hand for which the Krishna Valley provides a good example. Tourists, followers and financial supporters all work towards the realisation of this ambition, making the community of the valley very much connected to the greater society and reality. This does not take the value of their achievements away – it can stand as an example for a life conducted in greater harmony with nature. Which is more important then? Complete self-sufficiency or development? Does the two have to be mutually exclusive or is the valley a living example of how the two can create something valuable? It is definitely a work in progress.
More information :
http://krisna.hu/ (in Hungarian)
http://krisnavolgy.hu/ (in Hungarian)