The temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Mayapur, India, on August 4, 2025. ARKO DATTO POUR M LE MAGAZINE DU MONDE
A massive Western style white building with imposing blue and gold domes dominates the landscape and the city of Mayapur in West Bengal, standing on the banks where the Ganges meets the Jalangi River. Located 130 kilometers from Kolkata, the former capital of British India, it will soon become the world's largest religious monument. The complex houses a Hindu temple and a Vedic planetarium designed to represent a vision of the universe centered on Krishna as described in ancient Sanskrit texts.
The structure belongs to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), an organization with a somewhat controversial reputation, known worldwide as Hare Krishna and classified as a cult by France since 1995.
Its members believe that Krishna is not merely an incarnation of Vishnu but rather a unique and supreme god who created everything. This interpretation differs greatly from traditional Hinduism, the dominant religion in India, which does not have a founding god, but rather three principal deities – Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva – along with their many avatars.
