Remember those orange robed, bald headed guys who used to hang out in Westwood Village chanting? Turns out they have a huge temple in Bangalore. Iskon Temple is operated by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known in the US as the Hare Krishnas.
The temple is relatively new and is quite impressive. We joined the huge throngs of Krishna devotees (I saw maybe two other tourists besides me) in the line while waiting for it to open. Like many aspects of queuing here, it's apparently acceptable to just walk right in front of everyone and cut the line. So you have to be comfortable with people touching you and be just as ready to push them back. Also take great care to protect your wallet.
We had to check our shoes and cameras at the gate, and proceeded bare foot across a long footbridge. Once you get into the temple you proceed through a number of shrines and immediately hear the murmur of people chanting "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna..." over and over again. I think someone told me they have to say the mantra 180 times a day in order to reach a certain spiritual level. Don't quote me on that, I'm sure you can learn more on their website.
These guys also know how to make a buck. As you exit the main shrine you proceed through a book stall, into a shopping gallery, past exhibits advertising the many good things the Society is doing in the region (ex. free meals for people who live near the temple), a cinema (sorry, it's not an IMAX yet), more shopping stalls, an open air food bazaar, a spot where they give away some sort of warm, sweet rice dessert to all visitors, then a spot where they hand out free copies of the Krishna mantra, and finally a sit-down restaurant. I was impressed.
I never did see anyone in an orange robe. And no one tried to give me a "free" flower either. What a bummer!
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