Hare Krishna Temple

Culminating our study of India, we visited the Hare Krishna Temple today.  I've driven past it many many times, and was always curious to see inside.  I think the building is gorgeous, albeit a little oddly out-of-place in the small town it resides in.  Here is the outside.  You'll have to forgive me for taking so many photos;  a fancy camera + an interesing architectural subject=a whole lotta pictures!

We had to remove our shoes before entering the second level.

Not sure what this is, but it was beautiful.

This is the room at the top of the building.  I expected something larger and more grand, but this was it.  This is their worshiping room; they gave permission for photos, but I felt so odd and disrespectful taking them, especially of their deities, which is at the back of the room.  They burn incense and other offerings to their God here.  One has to be correctly robed to enter the space before it.

This is looking up at the center dome of the temple.

I did wonder why Lord Krishna is always blue in the paintings, and asked, but didn't get a clear answer on that.  I wondered how many of our Mormon doctrines I would be unable to explain clearly to an outsider.

Not sure what this statue represented; we missed the first part of the tour.  It gave Savannah the creeps though.

I liked the front doors with the peacocks in them.

They sang and played their instruments for us at the end of the tour.  Brighton wanted to know what their instruments were called afterwards.  The only one I remember was a harmonium (like a mini piano and accordian mixed).

My kids liked the wildlife best.  This bird was just free inside the restaurant/gift shop downstairs.

Outside, we greeted the other 3 birds.  This one greeted us with a "hi" and a head bow.  Keaton got too close and it about took off his finger.  He now says "birdie bite." 

This is Peaches, from Irelynd's narrative a few months ago.  She was calm and did not bite when we pet her.

This bird shrieked along with Keaton after his finger was bitten.  I've never heard a bird make such a noise before.  With Waverly crying too, it made quite a ruckus.

Koi pond

We liked feeding the llamas our baby carrots.