Hungary's Krishna Valley Celebrates 30th Anniversary

The Krishna Valley, located on the outskirts of Somogyvámos, S Hungary, will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year with the opening of a carriage house and an exhibition, the organizers told MTI in a statement.

They wrote that the jubilee celebrations will start on May 20 in Hungary's largest eco-farm: the dry mill, which is called the ‘wheelbarrow house’, will open, capable of producing the raw materials needed for everyday life, such as flour, oil or wood chips, and because it is powered by oxen, "it represents real independence in the age of the oil-based economy."

Visitors will also be able to see this new building and an exhibition on the 30-year history of Krishna Valley this year, they added.

They said that all visitors are welcome to visit Krishna Valley on all days of the jubilee year, but especially during festivals such as the Krishna Valley Fair.

They recalled that three decades ago, a few dozen Krishna devotees decided "to move to a depopulated Somogy village in a bag village rather than live in a big city or study abroad in the spirit of the times".

They bought a sheepfold in the village with compensation tickets to become self-sufficient farmers, and with their dedication, deep faith and perseverance they achieved success in a few years, they wrote.

They also built the first and still the largest Hindu temple in Hungary, a Cow Protection Center, two school buildings, a canning factory, an art studio and a storage cellar.

The Krishna Valley, now 300 hectares, includes an organic garden, apiary, arboretum, several nature trails, textile and handicraft workshops, a tourist center and guest houses, they added.

They stressed that the inhabitants of the valley, which welcomes 25,000 tourists and 12,000 pilgrims a year, are self-sufficient.

They show that a sustainable lifestyle, respectful of the environment and close to nature, and village farming can be high quality, attractive and pleasant, they stressed.