ISKCON Timeline |
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1965 |
1965 - Srila Prabhupada sails to America to establish ISKCON,
Aug. 27 to October 1.
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1966 |
1966 - ISKCON corporation founded Aug. 5. First centers open
in New York and Height Ashbury.
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1967 |
1967 - Mantra-rock dance and first U.S. Ratha-yatra festival
held in San Francisco, July 26.
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1968 |
1968 - Disciples establish ISKCON in England with the help of
the Beatles.
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1969 |
1969 - Disciples open dozens of new temples, including New Vrindaban,
Toronto, and Los Angeles.
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1970 |
1970 - Srila Prabhupada establishes the GBC, Governing Body
Commission, with the Direction of Management, July 28. | Evidence that child abuse
taking place in ISKCON, see VNN.org
document | Bhavananda
(later one of the eleven gurus) begins abusing ISKCON devotees' children in New
York.
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1971 |
1971 - First gurukula established in Dallas.
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1972 |
1972 - According to Prabhupada's letters, by this time he was
aware of temple presidents beating their wives and child abuse in gurukula (Rochford,
1998, p. 49 ).
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1973 |
1973 - ISKCON increasingly depends on panhandling to raise money.
| After only a few years, ISKCON-arranged marriages are ending in divorce (Rochford,
1998, p. 49). | Motorcycle gang attacks New Vrindaban, June 5.
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1974 |
1974 - By this time, the gurukula basically functions as childcare
so mothers can go on sankirtan (Rochford, 1998, pp. 51-53, 61). | Prabhupada refuses
to sanction any further marriages (Rochford, 1998, p. 49). | Hamsadutta convicted
of weapons possession charges in Germany (three years later he will become one
of the eleven gurus). | ISKCON-wide standards set for gurukula behavior modification
program. (Proposed List
of Standards for Boys, public relations files, circa 1974)
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1975 |
1975 - Gurukulas established in Los Angeles and New Vrindaban.
| Los Angeles BBT publishes Caitanya-caritamrta. | National media criticize ISKCON's
airport soliciting. | Chicago media report Prabhupada's statement about women's
brain size, July 24. | Disciples fear World War Three after Srila Prabhupada describes
tensions between India and Pakistan, morning walk tape, April 4. | Father sues
ISKCON over custody of his son, Joey Yanoff, November.
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1976 |
1976 - State authorities close Dallas gurukula, which had approximately
a hundred students, the majority of whom were between the ages of four and eight
(Rochford, 1998, p. 46). | Jagadish appointed minister of primary education. |
Bhaktivedanta Swami International Gurukulas open in Vrindavana and Mayapur, India.
| Bhavananda begins abusing devotees' children in India. | ISKCON sannyasis launch
a campaign against householders and women, Srila Prabhupada calls it a "fratricidal
war" (Rochford, 1998, p. 49). | National media criticize Hare Krishnas soliciting
as Santa Claus. Santa suits and resulting negative publicity continue each year
through December 1978.
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1977 |
1977 - More than a hundred worldwide ISKCON temples listed in
Back to Godhead magazine. | New York State Supreme Court judge dismisses Ed Shapiro
brainwashing case, March. | Susan Murphy, eighteen, who became a devotee at thirteen,
and her mother file suit against ISKCON of New England, April. | Hare Krishna
Land temple and guest house open in Juhu Beach (Mumbai), India. | Shooting incident
at ISKCON's property in Mayapur, India, July. Bhavananda arrested (his name added
to the list of eleven gurus one day after the appointment tape). | Appointment
tape recorded in Vrindavana, India, July 8. | Tamal Krishna writes letter listing
eleven gurus, July 9. | First Venice Beach Ratha-yatra festival. | Robin George
and her mother file suit for kidnapping and other charges, Oct. 14. | Steven Bovan
murdered; ISKCON holds press conference in Laguna Beach temple, Nov. 7. | Srila
Prabhupada enters samadhi at the ISKCON temple in Vrindavana, India, Nov. 14.
Link to information about Srila Prabhupada's passing: account
by Raghunatha or read accusations of murder.
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1978 |
1978 - Newsweek magazine publishes "Krishna-by-the-Sea," on
the Juhu temple opening, Jan. 30. | GBC institutionalizes zonal guru system, March.
| A total of eleven gurukula schools in North America. | Famous actor murdered
at Hare Krishna Land, Juhu Beach, July. | Jonestown tragedy, Nov. 18. | U.S. Airport
and street soliciting reach the highest point. In some airports, travelers face
a gauntlet of a dozen or more ISKCON devotees at a time. | Devotee punches Western
Airlines Employee, Dec. 28.
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1979 |
1979 - Krishna kids garland Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana
at the Childrens Fair in London. | Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publishes Prabhupada
Lilamrita, Srila Prabhupada's official biography, by Satsvarupa. | New gurukula
opens in Dallas. | Airport clickers, August. | Media cover Prabhupada's Palace
of Gold grand opening, New Vrindaban, Labor Day weekend. | "Krishna Hash Bust"
reported in Orange County Register, Nov. 6. ISKCON holds press conference in Los
Angeles, Nov. 7. | Dr. Burke Rochford begins to study the gurukula. (Rochford,
1998, p. 64)
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1980 |
1980 - Life magazine publishes cover story about the New Vrindaban
gurukula, "Children of a Harsh Bliss," April. | Life readers vote the children
of Krishna cover one of the year's best. The cover also appears on a Bombay billboard
advertising Life magazine. | Life prints three letters to the editor in the December
issue. (Letter to the
editor, Life magazine, Dec. 1980) | Australian "60 Minutes" features the children
of Krishna. | Gurukula opens in Lake Huntington, New York.| The number of married
and unmarried devotees evens out; about one-quarter of devotees have children
(Rochford, 1998, p. 50). | Hamsadutta's Mt. Kailash farm raided, ISKCON issues
press release, April 1. | Hamsadutta arrested for illegal submachine gun, ISKCON
holds press conference in Berkeley, June 11. | GBC holds three "full extraordinary
special" meetings to deal with guru deviations. Hamsadutta, Jayatirtha and Tamal
Krishna are suspended for a year. | Ramesvara removes his vyasasana and writes
an essay on guru reform, July 1. The GBC rejects Ramesvara's conclusions, Aug.
17. | ISKCON Public Affairs holds first international communications conference
in Bombay, November. | Pyramid House Talks take place in Topanga Canyon, Dec.
3.
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1981 |
1981 - Los Angeles Times publishes "Krishna: a Kingdom in Disarray,"
Feb. 15. | Mayapur meeting: GBC rejects conclusions of the Pyramid House Talks;
Hamsadutta and Tamal Krishna endorse the zonal guru system and are reinstated
as gurus. | Steve Allen visits L.A. temple while researching his book Beloved
Son, Aug. 31. | Grove Press publishes Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, edited by Steve
Gelberg (Subhananda). | Children of Krishna pictured on the cover of the Australian
BBT's The Wonderful World of Hare Krishna in Australia. | Bhaktivedanta Village
gurukula opens in central California. | ISKCON World Review begins publication.
| IWR cites twenty-four gurukulas running in eighteen countries, with approximately
seven hundred students. | IWR features an interview with Jagadish, minister of
education. (Gurukula:
School for the soul--An interview with Jagadish dasa, ISKCON's minister of education,
IWR, Vol. 1, No. 6, p. 1, Oct. 1981)
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1982 |
1982 - IWR cites more than thirty gurukulas worldwide. | Children
of Krishna Prahalad and Dhanvantari give books and a garland to Princess Diana
in Brisbane. | New gurukulas in France, Australia, South Africa, England, Sweden;
Manipur, Tirupati and Assam, India. Detroit starts ISKCON's first dayschool, breaking
the trend of the boarding school system. | Lake Huntington gurukula offers summer
camp for life members' children. | The level of airport and street soliciting
in America is less than half its 1978 peak. With revenues down, parents are pushed
outside of ISKCON's communities to find employment in support of themselves and
their families (Rochford, 1998, p. 55). | Mayapur meeting: three new gurus added
to original eleven (Pancadravida, Bhaktisvarupa Damodara and Gopal Krishna). |
Jayatirtha leaves ISKCON; Bhagavan inherits his zone, March. | The New York Times
publishes a story about ISKCON's influence in the Soviet Union, April 15. | ISKCON
holds Ratha-yatra in Washington D.C., Aug. 21. Mayor Marion Barry proclaims official
Ratha-yatra Day; Washington Post covers the parade, Aug. 22; | The Public Affairs
department and BBT publish Who Are they? magazine, Chant and Be Happy, and Coming
Back. | Two year old boy in New Vrindaban dies from battering, October.
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1983 |
1983 - Children of Krishna appear on the cover of Hare Krishna
Today, published by the Australian BBT. | Bombay announces plans to build a gurukula
building on Juhu property. Day classes begin at the school. | The New York Times
publishes a second story about ISKCON's influence in the Soviet Union, April 18.
| The Public Affairs department and BBT publish A Higher Taste cookbook.| Media
cover Bhaktivedanta Cultural Center (Fisher Mansion) grand opening in Detroit,
May 25. State senators Kelly and Vaughn, and Secretary of State Kondler issue
a Senate Resolution recognizing Ratha-yatra and Fisher Mansion grand opening.
| The GBC expels Hamsadutta at an emergency meeting in Miami Beach; the Miami
Herald, New York Daily News, Associated Press, and other media report the story,
July 11. | Charles St. Denis (Chakradari) murdered in New Vrindaban. | Food For
Life begins. | ISKCON ordered to pay $32.5 million in George vs. ISKCON case,
June 17; ISKCON appeals the case. | Hamsadutta disciples picket San Diego temple,
San Diego Union-Tribune publishes story, June 20. | French government cracks down
on sankirtan; Bhagavan's summer festivals moved to Italy.
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1984 |
1984 - Mayapur meeting: GBC ratifies Hamsadutta's expulsion.
| Croome Court sold. | Imprisoned devotee Ujjvala lights Charles Manson on fire;
ISKCON issues press release, Sept. 26. | Child abuse exposed at L.A. temple nursery
school; Santa Monica Evening Outlook, Oct. 11, and the L.A. Daily News, Nov. 19,
report the story. | Two boys, four and five years old, die in an abandoned refrigerator
in New Vrindaban. | IWR reports benign nature of gurukula (ISKCON
children win poetry writing awards, IWR 3.9, p. 2, Jan. 1984) | IWR article
about Mayapur ignores rumors of abuse in Indian schools. (Spiritual
city rising in Sri Mayapur, IWR 4.1, p. 7, May 1984) | IWR covers Los Angeles
gurukula board meeting. (ISKCON's
educational leaders plan secondary school studies, IWR 3.10, p. 4, Feb. 1984)
| IWR reports that six boys travel in U.S. with Muralivadaka. (Krsna
kids touring America, IWR 4.5, p. 7, July 1984) | Gostabhihari prosecuted
and imprisoned for abusing children in Dallas
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1985 |
1985 - Bhaktidayal files charges against Harikesh with the GBC,
Jan. 6. | Children of Krishna perform peace dance at Gita Forum, Dallas. | Nirmal
candra's art recognized in magazine. | Lake Huntington gurukula girls meet New
York congressman in Washington, D.C. | Sulochan begins distributing copies of
The Guru Business to ISKCON disciples. | GBC names Minister of Education Jagadish
a guru. (Four new gurus
appointed, IWR 5.1, p. 3, May 1985) | Anonymous letter to the GBC describes
Bhavananda's sexual deviations, including child abuse, March. | ISKCON leaders
complain that children are turning out to be like "karmies" (Rochford, 1998, p.
50) | Dignitaries attend grand opening of South African temple. | GBC holds an
emergency meeting in Los Angeles to examine Bhaktidayal's evidence against Harikesh
(one of the eleven gurus); they pardon him. | New Vrindaban announces $60 million,
ten-year temple construction project, media report the story, May 31 (never built).
| Ravindra-svarupa writes "Under My Order," describing the need for guru reform,
June 6. | Prabhupada disciples meet in New Vrindaban to discuss guru reform, September.
| The GBC votes to excommunicate Sulochan after he locks himself in protective
custody during GBC meeting. | Rutgers University Press publishes Hare Krishna
in America, by Burke Rochford. | Kirtanananda assaulted and sent to the hospital
in a coma, Oct. 27. While recovering, he begins openly molesting children. | Persuaders
documentary by Anna Raphael (Ritasya dasi), exposing Bhagavan's arrogance, airs
on BBC TV, December. | Dr. Lawrence Liliston publishes academic papers praising
Lake Huntington gurukula. (Hare
Krsna kids rate high in general awareness test, IWR 5.7, p. 2, Nov. 1985)
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1986 |
1986 - Mayapur meeting: GBC accepts list of twenty new gurus.
Ravindra svarupa, author of the guru reform movement, becomes a GBC and guru.
| Prahlad and the Krishna Kids (of Australia) record an EMI album, including a
plea to Mikheil Gorbachev to free the Soviet Krishnas. | Lake Huntington gurukula
closes. | Children of Krishna in Vancouver demonstrate to free Soviet Hare Krishnas.
| Year-long observance of the five-hundredth anniversary of the appearance of
Lord Chaitanya, including Pada-yatra pilgrimage to Chaitanya's birthplace in India.
| Forty children of Krishna walk with Pada-yatra. | Governor Sir Walter Campbell
meets ailing devotee child Trishandhya in her hospital room in Brisbane. | Children
of Krishna meet Queen Elizabeth in Auckland. | Children of Krishna ride float
in Penn State University Homecoming Parade. | Nirmal-candra, son of Minister of
Education Jagadish and a gurukula headmistress Laxmimoni, is left quadriplegic
after an accident at the Gita Nagari gurukula. He begins writing about his gurukula
experiences. | The last two regionally based ashram gurukulas close in North America;
Indian boarding schools continue. | Ramesvara caught with minor-aged girl in Santa
Monica mall, report given to GBC, May 7. | Sulochan murdered in Los Angeles, May
22. | GBC holds an emergency meeting in San Diego, Aug. 18-19, to discuss Kirtanananda,
Bhavananda and Ramesvara. Kirtanananda agrees (by telephone) that he will resign
if indicted for the murders of Sulochan or Chakradhari. Public Affairs office
issues a news release denouncing Kirtanananda's presence in the media. | Grand
jury convenes to study New Vrindaban , Sept. 5. | Bhavananda agrees to quit initiating
disciples while he is suspended, Sept. 8; when he goes through with an initiation
ceremony, the GBC expels him. | The GBC holds an emergency meeting at the Pyramid
House in Topanga Canyon to discuss Ramesvara. | Ramesvara, Bhagavan resign and
leave ISKCON; L.A. Times covers story, Oct. 5. | BBT Council cuts off funding
for all Ramesvara's projects, October. | Hamsadutta followers finally vacate ISKCON
Berkeley property, October. | Sulochan's son drowns at New Vrindaban, Dec. 7.
Grandparents obtain court order to take five year old brother away from the farm.
| Kirtanananda embarks on "Freedom Tour" to distance himself from alleged crimes,
December.
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1987 |
1987 - FBI raids New Vrindaban, exhumes St. Denis' remains and
collects evidence of copyright infringement and racketeering, Jan. 5. | New Vrindaban
former school principal Larry Gardner (Sri Galim) and teacher's assistant Frederick
de Francisco (Lalita Madhava) arrested for child abuse; story reported in Wheeling
News Register, Feb. 11, 17, and 18. | Mayapur meeting: GBC excommunicates Kirtanananda
and all of his temples, and accepts the resignations of Ramesvara and Bhagavan.
They issue a letter to all New Vrindaban residents asking them to leave Kirtanananda
and be re-initiated in ISKCON, March 16. | Ananta-santi (Prabhupada's Soviet disciple)
finally freed from Soviet forensic hospital. | Westminster Press publishes Dr.
Larry Shinn's The Dark Lord. | Rolling Stone magazine publishes "Dial Om for Murder,"
by John Hubner and Lindsey Grueson, April 9. | Time magazine publishes "Troubled
Karma for the Krishnas," Sept. 1. | Jayatirtha murdered in England. | California
superior court hears George vs. ISKCON appeal. | Bhaktivedanta Archives publishes
Srila Prabhupada's letters in a five-volume set. | Satsvarupa resigns his position
on the GBC, removes his vyasasana, writes an essay on guru reform, and grants
an interview to IWR. | Temple presidents of Ramesvara's former zone form an alliance
called the Western Zonal Council. The council elects Badrinarayan as their GBC
representative. | New Vrindaban holds "Religious Freedom Gathering," Nov. 21-22.
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1988 |
1988 - A mother writes to Minister of Education Jagadish about
child abuse at the Gita Nagari [Pennsylvania] gurukula, Jan. 26. (Dear
Jagadish Maharaja, anonymous letter from a mother, 1988) | Mayapur meeting:
The GBC admits Badrinarayana as a GBC to manage the Western Zone, including all
of Ramesvara's former territory. Within the GBC, he advocates gurukula reform
(but favors keeping the matter a GBC secret). | Former member Christina Mills
accuses New Vrindaban of abusing her as a child, March 3. | Harcourt Brace Javanovich
publishes Monkey on a Stick, by Hubner and Grueson, including a statement about
gurukula abuse in New Vrindaban. (Monkey
on a Stick excerpt, Hubner & Grueson, p. 347) | GBC orders an interview
of former gurukula students. (The
Results, ISKCON Youth Veterans newsletter, 1988) | Jagadish resigns; GBC dissolves
the Ministry of Education and forms the Board of Education. Jagadish becomes a
member of the board. (GBC
Resolution, 1988) | IWR interviews Drista Dasa, head of the Dallas gurukula,
and Sri Rama Dasa, secretary of the ISKCON-wide GBC Board of Education. (IWR
interview: Gurukula Today in Dallas, IWR 8.4, pp. 6-7, Nov. 1988) and IWR
interviews Sri Rama Dasa, IWR 8.5, pp. 6-7, Nov. 1988)
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1989 |
1989 - Princeton University publishes The Hare Krishnas in India,
Charles R. Brooks. | Detroit opens new gurukula schoolhouse.
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1990 |
1990 - ISKCON Youth Veterans newsletter
publishes "Children of the Ashram," by Raghunatha. (Children
of the Ashram, by Raghunatha, ISKCON Youth Veterans newsletter, Vol IV, Aug. 1990,
supplement, pp. 28-49) | Gurukula alumni hold their first reunion, Los Angeles.
| Southern California-based Public Affairs office closes; ISKCON Communications
opens in Potomac, Maryland. | A minor aged bride from New Vrindaban tells her
story in the ISKCON Youth Veterans newsletter, January-May issue. (Gurukula,
by Karnamrta, ISKCON Youth Veterans newsletter, Vol II, Jan.-May, 1990, p. 1)
| GBC passes a series of resolutions dealing with child abuse. (GBC
Resolutions, 1990)
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1991 |
1991 - Householders outnumber renounced members. Seventy percent
of devotees have at least one child (Rochford, 1998, p. 50 ). | Kirtanananda sentenced
to thirty years in prison for using murder, kidnapping and fraud to protect an
illegal, multimillion dollar enterprise; Associated Press reports story, March
30. | Thomas Drescher (Tirtha) convicted of first degree murder in Los Angeles
for killing Steve Bryant (Sulochan); United Press International and Associated
Press report the story, Aug. 21. The Washington Post follows with a feature story
on New Vrindaban, Sept. 8. | Thomas Drescher found guilty in the murder of Sulochan,
Aug. 20; Los Angeles jury recommends life in prison, Oct. 10. | U.S. Supreme Court
finds ISKCON not liable for brainwashing Susan Murphy; case remanded to lower
court on other issues; Associated Press and United Press International cover the
story, Oct 7.
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1992 |
1992 - Gurukula alumni hold their third reunion in Los Angeles.
Annual summer reunions continue in Los Angeles through the nineties.
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1993 |
1993 - Gurukula Alumni, Inc., publishes three issues of their
color magazine, As It Is: The Voice of the Second Generation. | Hamsadutta asks
to be accepted back into ISKCON. | Burke Rochford, in conjunction with ISKCON,
begins "Project Future Hope," designed to match members of the second generation
to compatible jobs.
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1994 |
1994 - Gandhari studies the history of gurukula in her UCLA
World Arts and Cultures Senior Colloquium. | A panel of former gurukula students,
including Gandhari, addresses the Devotee Relationship Conference in Topanga Canyon
about abuse they suffered in gurukula. | George vs. ISKCON settled for an undisclosed
amount. | Gurukula alumni Jivananda commits suicide, he was eighteen. He grew
up in the Pyramid House in Topanga Canyon. | As It Is, the Voice of the Vaisnava
Youth interviews a former gurukula teacher. (From
a Teacher, by Krsna-kumari, As It Is, the Voice of the Vaisnava Youth, No. 5,
Summer 1994, p. 12)
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1995 |
1995 - Gurukula alumni Gaura-vani appears in three summer movies:
"The Brady Bunch," "Dangerous Minds," and "Virtuosity." | Manu appointed GBC Youth
Minister. (ISKCON Youth
Ministry Mission Statement, author's collection)
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1996 |
1996 - An eight year old is molested in New Vrindaban; the girl's
father and other men beat up the perpetrator and pull out his ponytail (sikha).
These incidents were never reported to authorities. | Former students from the
Vrindavana, India, gurukula confront Dhanurdar, the former school principal who
directed the abusive school in Vrindavana. The meeting takes place in the Los
Angeles temple, arranged and facilitated by GBC member Badrinarayan. After the
confrontation, Dhanurdara continues in his position as guru, sannyasi, and member
in good standing. | A Los Angeles gurukula teacher resigns after she receives
death threats for reporting incidents of child abuse to the proper authorities.
ISKCON's new Women's Ministry learns of the incident, but is powerless to do anything.
| ISKCON World Review changes its name to Hare Krishna World. | V.O.I.C.E. (Violations
of ISKCON Children Exposed) website by Nirmal-chandra Hickey and Maya Charnell
posted, including personal accounts of abuse and a statement about Srila Prabhupada's
responsibility for gurukula. (Janmastami
Nightmare: One Account of Child Abuse, anonymous, posted at the V.O.I.C.E. website,
1996). (Prabupada's
Responsibility, by Nirmal-chandra and Maya Devi, posted at the V.O.I.C.E. website,
1996) Nirmal-chandra also wrote an account of Vrindavana gurukula, which spoke
for many victims of that school. (Vrindavana
Gurukula, by Nirmal-chandra, author's collection, 1996) | Ten
gurukula alumni give three hours of moving testimony about child abuse in gurukula
at the North American GBC meeting in Alachua, Florida, May 17-18. Children of
Krishna, Inc., formed to help abuse victims and other children raised in the movement.
(Excerpt from Priti-laksanam,
by Kunti, 1996). (The
Children of Krishna, Inc., Strategic Guidelines, author's collection) | Srimad
Bhagavan writes his autobiography to help effort to gather information about what
happened to the children in ISKCON. "My
Life Story," by S.B. McKee, (author's collection, 1996) | Maria Ekstrand (Madhusudani
Radha dasi) starts an online conference called "Child Abuse Prevention" (CAP).
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1997 |
1997 - Manu persuades the GBC to pass two resolutions favoring
the second generation, Mayapur Meeting, March. (GBC
resolutions, 1997) | Guru B.V. Madhava leaves ISKCON after admitting that
he touched a male follower inappropriately. | Muralivadaka resigns Board of Education
and Children of Krishna, Inc., board of directors when confronted with evidence
that he abused children. | University of Illinois Press publishes Betrayal of
the Spirit, including one chapter about gurukula abuses. | Children of Krishna,
Inc., report in their newsletter that in their first ten months of operation they
had granted four individuals a total of $2,000. | Accounts of guru Bhavananda's
child abuse were gathered and published by Dr. Maria Ekstrand at chakra.org, a
GBC-approved forum for discussing controversy. The
Past is Not Done With, statements about Bhavananda's acts of child abuse, (posted
at chakra.org, by Dr. Maria Ekstrand, 1998)
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1998 |
1998 - Raghunatha revives his old newsletter on the Internet.
Gurukula Veterans Journal website posted. | Gurukula alumni Manjari Devi performs
with Madonna on the international MTV Video Awards. | Dhira Govinda (David Wolf,
Ph.D.) establishes Child Protection Office (CPO), along with Yashoda Devi. (Child
Protection Office interview with Dhira Govinda at Culver City Park, author's collection,
1998). (Child Protection
in ISKCON, a task force report, 1998) | Dhira Govinda (David Wolf, Ph.D.)
also establishes the APVC, Association for the Protection of Vaishnava Children,
to oversee ISKCON child protection efforts, "creating and maintinaing safe environments
for children in ISKCON communities around the world." Malini Dasi is assistant
director. The establish the website apvc.org. |
Harikesh resigns and leaves ISKCON. | ISKCON Communications
Journal, based in Sweden, publishes Burke Rochford's "Child Abuse in the Hare
Krishna Movement: 1971-1986." (click
here to read a synopsis of this paper) When the article is published in their
October issue, ISKCON Communications issues a press release. Media cover the story
(click here to see articles):
the front page of The New York Times; Associated Press, Religious News Service,
Dallas Morning News, India Express, Deccan Herald, and numerous local radio, TV
and news stories. | ISKCON Communications issues press release about the child
abuse media coverage, along with confidential media guidelines to all ISKCON centers,
Oct. 13. (Media Release:
Hare Krishnas Investigate Past Abuse at Boarding School, Oct. 13, 1998) |
Gurukula alumni Nimai Bhakti Pralad Dasa commits suicide, Dec. 13, he was twenty-six.
| Gurukula alumni survey conducted, see
results (Manu Dasa made the results public through chakra.org in April 2000).
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1999 |
1999 - Mayapur meeting: gurukula alumni address the GBC, Feb.
13. (Can We Mend the
Shattered Fragments of ISKCON?, by Krsna-devata and Shakuntala, author's collection,
1999) | Bhakta-Visvareta loses his cool in Mayapur, beats former Vrindavan
gurukula principal Dhanurdara. (Hi
everyone, by Bhakta Visvareta, author's collection, 1999) | ISKCON's Office
of Child Protection issues its first newsletter, April 6, including their findings
against two child abusers: Srutadeva dasa (Robert Kaufman) and Muralivadaka dasa
(Michael Mager). (Cases
Resolved by the Child Protection Office, vnn.org, April 6, 1999) | ISKCON's
Office of Child Protection begins to look for evidence that Kirtanananda and Bhavananda
abused and molested children, April 23. | Dr. Michael Langone, Executive Directory
of the American Family Foundation, an cult information organization, defends ISKCON's
reform movement at the AFF Annual Conference, May 14. | Windle Turley, P.C., of
Dallas prepares to file a class action suit on behalf of several former gurukula
students. | Associated Press publishes "Hare Krishnas Threatened by Lawsuit,"
by Julia Lieblich, June 6; Jean Sonmor of the Toronto Sun follows with "Hare Krishnas
on the hotseat," June 14, and "Dark Side of Krishna Looming Class-Action Suit
Alleges Physical and Sexual Abuse of Kids," July 6. | ISKCON Communications pledges
that the organization will donate $1 million to child abuse prevention efforts
(Media Release: Krishnas
Pledge One Million Dollars to Child Protection, April 29, 1999)
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