Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple (Spanish Fork)

Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple
The Holi Festival in March 2013 at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Geography
Coordinates	40°04′33″N 111°39′44″W / 40.075703°N 111.662122°W / 40.075703; -111.662122Coordinates: 40°04′33″N 111°39′44″W / 40.075703°N 111.662122°W / 40.075703; -111.662122
Country	United States
Location	8628 South State Rd. Spanish Fork
Culture
Important festivals	Holi
Architecture
Number of temples	1
History and governance
Date built	1998
Website	http://www.utahkrishnas.org/

The Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, United States, was built to meet the needs of the Hindu community in Utah County. The temple hosts seasonal festivals, weddings, receptions, and other weekly services for prayer and meditation.

The history behind the Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple is rooted in devoted members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and their efforts to bring awareness of their religion and Indian culture to the wider world. The influence of this movement can be traced back thousands of years to the basic beliefs surrounding Krishna, and additionally to modern advocates for Krishna Consciousness like Swami Prabhupada.

The Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple located in Spanish Fork, Utah, is in existence mainly due to the efforts of Charu Das (formerly Christopher Warden) and his activity within ISKCON. Charu Das, an American by birth, left the United States in order to protest and avoid the Vietnam War. He then traveled through Europe, India, and Singapore. While in Singapore he met his future wife, and the two of them began a lifetime of work to further Krishna Consciousness. The two went to Australia, where they lived and worked for a time. After spending several years with a community of Krishna devotees, Charu left Australia and returned to the United States where he served in several positions for ISKCON.

Charu Das first visited Utah in 1975 when he traveled to Brigham Young University (BYU) to sell books for a trust under ISKCON. His impressions were positive, and he appreciated the atmosphere of tolerance and interest. Years later, after leaving his position at a temple near Berkley, he returned to Utah. On November 10, 1996 ground breaking ceremonies were held at the temple's current location in Spanish Fork, and on February 16, 1998, the construction of the temple began.

The Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple continues to thrive each year as it attracts thousands of guests for both tours and seasonal festivals.