ISKCON WALES 2014-2015

ISKCON International Society of Krishna Conciousness, Wales.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) better knowen as the 'Hare Krishna' movement was founded by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda in New York City in 1966.

Further information available at (http://www.iskcon.org/what-is-iskcon/).

All the images displayed here, were taken at the Sri Panca Tattva Temple, located above Govinda's cafe, 8 Craddock Street, Swansea SA1 3EN. Delicious vegetarian food is served here and a visit to one of their celebrations in the temple is recommended for anyone, for whatever reason. The devotees are very welcoming.

The project was a response to a brief of, 'Community' and 'Utopia'. I had beeen curious about about the way of life of the devotees since childhhood. On my first visit to India, we had to change flight in Saudi Arabia. I noticed a western man neerby, asleep, shaved head with a curious small tuft of hair on the crown, wrapped in a cloth of orange with red Indian writing, repetitavly block printed upon it. Asking my farther about my curiosity, he explained a litttle, then waited until the devotee awoke and requested him to explain more to me.

A curiosity about the way the Krishna devotees lived had remained with me and this project brief gave me the opertunity to spend time with the devotees and gain an insight into their lifes.

I met up with the devotees, un anounced on Janumnastimi (the most auspicious dade in their calender) in September 2014. My documentation and time spent with the community continued through to February 2015.

Flowers take on an important place in the coustoms and rituals of worship towards Krishna. This orchid frail and delicate stands like a centuary behind its wall of curtain netting, to deflect and difuse the presence of the 'unclean' ways of the outside world.