Prabhupada's Palace of Gold — Attraction in Moundsville

New Vrindavan

We left our home at Hermitage, Pennsylvania at about 9.30 am on August 9th 2014 for New Vrindavan located in West Virginia. We reached the place at about 12.00 noon. We took the scenic riverside route and enjoyed the running rivers, green trees as also the hydro electric power plants and the coal mines. As we reached our destination located at Marshal county near Moundsville, the mighty Appalachian mountains evoked awe and wonder at God's creation. The place seemed to make Krishna devotees build a model of Vrindavanam. More than the temple to Krishna, the temple to the acharya who revealed Krishna to so many people across the globe and immerse in Krishna consciousness deserves special mention. Yes there is a palace of gold to Srila Prabhupadha on the mountains.

We got down and proceeded to the temple of gold. The flag flying on the spire had Hanuman on it reminding us of the flag of victory on Arjuna’s chariot. As we entered we saw a glass case inside which was the depiction of Ajamila story. We went down to the rose garden and enjoyed them There were roses of all hues and their perfume filled the air. It was a captivating sight and the realization that all the roses were for Krishna made them more beautiful. We learnt that these roses were grown organically. Such flowers can be used for making rose water, agarbathis etc for Krishna. An Isckon devotee took us round clockwise explaining how the place was constructed for Srila Prabhupadha to stay. The devotees love and enthusiasm resulted in this grand structure. Choice materials like marble, stained glass, gold, teak, chandeliers etc were used artistically by the devotees. Though Prabhupadha never got to stay in this palace it has become a memorial shrine to Prabhupadha. The wax statue is realistic and the shirt moved gently under the fan making us feel as if Prabhupadha was actually present.

The room containing the bed, cupboard, the puja altar with Radha-Krishna and the bathroom which was never used by Prabhupadha are maintained respectfully and neatly.

After this we made our way to the lotus pond behind the rose garden. Some lotuses were in full bloom while others were buds and the rounded leaves filled the whole pond.

Even as we we were proceeding to the pond we heard the sound of peacocks coming from behind the trees.

We then proceeded to the Radha Vrindavanachandra temple.We saw Radha- Krishna, Gopala, Chaitanya-Gauranga and Nrisimhadeva with Prahladha. Nrisimha seemed to remind us of the pervasiveness of the Lord who is present in every blade of grass and every spot on earth.

Outside lunch prasadam was being served to devotees waiting in a long line. The suggested donation was $5 for lunch and $3 for breakfast. Besides there is a restaurant called Govinda which serves satvik food.

We then proceeded to the swan lake. On the way we saw an elephant statue as also a statue of a bull and a cow.

There is a Gosala with about 80 cows which provide milk for the temple and we were told that a calf had been born three days back. Old cows were also taken care of with love and milking was done by devotees. We spotted several cows grazing on the green grass and also rolls of hay waiting to be taken to the barn. A white peahen caught our attention and was not scared of us humans and moved freely while being photographed.

Many had set up their tents on the grounds nearby and overlooking the lake was a cabin, one of the many accommodations where visitors can stay. We went to the gazebo adjoining the lake and enjoyed the water-sports of a pair of swans. It was a relaxed atmosphere and Krishna’s presence could be felt in the surroundings.

We left the place at about 3.00pm filled with thoughts of Krishna and Krishnabhakthas who can make a Vrindavan of any place where Krishna’s thoughts...

A HIDDEN GEM IN WEST VIRGINIA - NOT TO BE MISSED. I recently visited Prabhupada's Palace of Gold and the New Vrindaban community near Moundsville, WV. The Palace is stunning inside (locals taught themselves how to make stained glass windows, cut and carve marble to create this labor of love). It is a kind of memorial for the founder of their community. While you can't take pictures inside, what you see will stick in your memory. The grounds are as stunning as any botanical garden I've seen, including a gorgeous lily pond and award-winning rose gardens. A short walk down the hill is their Temple; make sure to grab an orange guidebook {Who's Who and What's What) from the information desk in the lobby as there is a lot to see inside, which can overwhelm newcomers, especially Westerners. Don't forget to look up at the stunning domed stained glass above. There is a great gift shop, a restaurant, and an express (it serves small pizzas and smaller cooked items, has indoor/outdoor seating, and a cooler of drinks and homemade sweets). The hours are limited at both venues, so check the hours on the doors as soon as you get there so you don't miss a fabulous meal (they are often called "the kitchen religion"). You'll find ponds to walk around, wandering peacocks and cows! Did I mention the cows? They are as friendly as your dog Fido and appreciate a scratch under the chin or a cut apple, carrots, or bananas. The "devotees" who live here (several hundred) are friendly and welcoming; they don't push their philosophy but are more than willing to answer your questions. Outside the Temple is a fascinating timeline about this group (one of the oldest intentional religious communities in the US). HEADS UP: Cell service is spotty, but there is free wifi when you are around the Temple to get your GPS set for your next adventure...

First of all to all reviewers who marked less than 5 star..."This is a pilgrimage, you have to come out of your life comfort to stay near the god , its a charitable organization, the money you spend here goes towards maintenance of the place as well as toward the thousands of social work they do .. if you try to compare the comfort vs money then you should go and stay in some resort ."... Now do not misunderstand me , this is a very nicely maintained , peaceful place where you can take a break from your busy life and meditate about god , even if you are not that god loving person , you can simply try to find peace of life , the environment , the free animals , the cows , the temple , everything as a whole gives you the push towards divinity. The palace of gold is another fantastic creation of art and needs separate review section. The whole place is named as new Vrindavan for its TRUE similarity with actual Vrindavan in india (in some aspect it is better), the location is on top of a mountain , it has two lakes with Swans swimming in it , there are lots of peacock , at least 50-60 in there , they will roam around your beautiful cottage/cabins while you can enjoy their dances thru your patio ..Yes! there are very nicely maintained cabins , as well as shared rooms if you are looking for little low budget , plan to stay there for at least two nights ..I guarantee you will like it .. btw for those who try to compare this place with resorts ..its good to mention , they serve delicious breakfast (prasadam) and Lunch Prasadam free of cost to all visitors , you dont need to stay there for it. Tips: get lots of drinking water with you , also fill gas , there are no good shop nearby , and the temple store has limited stock . If you plan to stay try for...