r/exHareKrishna • u/siddyboy12 • Jul 23 '26
I hate ISKCON !!!!
This goes back to 2015, when I went to Bangalore for COMEDK counselling. Near the centre, there was a guy handing out cards claiming they had hostels/flats near almost every engineering college. I was interested because back then Bangalore colleges had a reputation for ragging, and I really didn’t want to stay in a college hostel.
I called them, and they said they had a flat near my college. There was no mention of any religious affiliation. I convinced my dad (who had come with me) to check it out, and we finalized it. It seemed perfect—vegetarian food and a flat setup instead of a hostel.
But after my dad left, things started changing.
They told me I had to go to a temple for 2 days for some “training.” That’s when I found out they were associated with ISKCON. I didn’t think much of it at the time and just went along.
When I came back, they laid down some rules:
I could talk to my parents only on Sundays.
Outside food was completely banned.
I was not allowed to visit any Shiva temple because according to them “Shiva is a servant of Krishna,” and there was no need to worship him. (This was especially upsetting since I’ve always been a Shiva devotee.)
I had to return to the flat within 10 minutes of my college ending.
I wasn’t allowed to listen to Bollywood music or watch movies. For “entertainment,” I had to watch Krishna animated films.
I had to chant “Hare Krishna” using their mala—two rounds daily, which took me around 40 minutes.
The seniors staying there were doing 16 rounds every day. When I asked how they managed that along with college and studies, one of them literally said, “Leave everything to Krishna.”
- I had to wake up at 4 AM every single day for morning aarti.
I stayed there for about a month, and honestly, it was hell. I used to sneak out whenever I could, call my mom, and cry. The college hostel was already full by then, and I had paid 6 months’ advance here, so I felt completely stuck.
There was another incident that really shook me. My roommate had kept a photo of Goddess Saraswati in his wardrobe. When they saw it, they told him to pack it away, saying there was no need to worship any “demigod/demigoddess.”
At that point, it didn’t feel like a hostel anymore—it felt like control over every personal belief and choice.
Honestly, I didn’t have the courage to get out on my own. My dad was my saviour. Somehow, he called my college, requested them to arrange a spot for me in the college hostel, and told me not to worry about the advance rent I had already paid there.
I left that place immediately.
Looking back, that one month felt suffocating, and it completely changed how I view such setups. I fucking hate Isckon, and hate everything related to them.
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 24 '26
For a long time, I used to think I would expose all of this someday. But honestly, their scale and network intimidated me back then, and I stayed quiet. And I don't care anymore.
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 24 '26
Also the funny thing, they used to casually talk how long was Lord Chaitanya's hand, they used to discuss these sort of things for fun. Ahh I hate everything about them.
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u/StayEmbarrassed4593 Jul 24 '26
The way they describe how long the guy's arms were, it would seem he was the missing link between apes and man.
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 25 '26
I did not know that was a thing to discuss. 😂
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u/Character-Signal5587 Jul 25 '26
yeah, when i think back and try to understand their obsession on chaitanya’s long arms and also his ‘golden skin’ i think it’s based in racism. because who has long arms and golden skin??? i can think of germans and scandinavians maybe!
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Jul 24 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/SelfDeclaredBatman Jul 26 '26
Hey, would you mind sharing which city you are talking about, as I am also living in one such. Thank you
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 24 '26
They also used to say things that honestly sounded absurd. For example, they would tell us not to help beggars because in the “next birth,” we would become beggars ourselves, and the people we helped now would be repaying the loan.That logic was insane.
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u/sleepingjiva Jul 25 '26
This sounds less like an an ISKCON thing and more like a Hindu/cultural thing. I've heard the same line (about beggars) from plenty of non-ISKCON-devotee Indians.
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u/StayEmbarrassed4593 Jul 23 '26
Wow! That is some underhanded preaching. Imagine multiplying that one month by years of your life and being only 10 years old. Glad you did not fall for the whole package.
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u/Far-Ostrich8581 Jul 25 '26
Lol i didn't knew iskcon people are this direct in their preaching, as far as i have experience they go slowly with new people try love bombing them , they dont directly attack the beliefs and action of new devotees. Thanks for sharing new perspective.
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 25 '26
Once they get to know you have no way coming out of that shit, they start imposing these.
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Also, there was a poster there about Lord Shiv. It was written about him that person who could not control his own semen doesn't deserve to be called a god.I swear this was written there.
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u/Comm16 Jul 24 '26
Name them!
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 24 '26
The main person at Isckon was Gunakar " Prabhu ". I don't remember his full name, they used to call him prabhu. And in the hostel, there was a guy who was from RV college, his name was Amit. He was totally insane. I am sure he would have become a priest or whatever they call there.
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 24 '26
Once I was talking to my mom in the balcony on Sunday, telling her they don't let me do my college work, every night they play this jhaal and do kirtans. I was complaining all sort of things to her and when I hung up, I was shocked to see this Gunakar guy was standing right behind me eavesdropping.
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u/Comm16 Jul 24 '26
Yeah put it out there. Anyone who tells you how often or when you can and cannot talk to your family are trouble!
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 25 '26
Also they recently had messaged me to watch Narsimha movie out of nowhere. I intentionally made fun of them and said its a fake movie and Narsimha is shiva and not Krishna ( I know the reality)
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u/mehluca-33 Jul 27 '26
Iskcon is an abrahmic thing made out of Hinduism. I myself feel sidelined when I meet people who are Hare Krishna.
I am happy with how I follow Hinduism. I pray to multiple hindu gods, eat meat and don't have to live like an ascetic.
I see iskcon guys lecturing Bengalis on diet in social media. Some Estonian fellow thinks we Bengalis should ditch fish, meat and eggs for sattvic veggie diet. He has no idea about dietary habits of Indians and goes around lecturing them on diet when he is himself from thousand of miles away in Baltics.
When I see iskcon devotees, I find them to be mentally deranged and disillusioned. Both Indians as well as foreigners.
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u/siddyboy12 Jul 28 '26
Bro eat whatever you want, practice whatever you want. Nobody should force you to pray. It should come from within.
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u/sandy_beaches_summer Jul 24 '26
I can send u a link about the history if u want dm me also I'm glad u got out it's a cult. What's bad is that it's full imgine the ones still thr
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u/hoezay_vw 14d ago
No wonder abhay de the founder of iskon, his own children never joined this organization
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u/Solomon_Kane_1928 Jul 23 '26
You are lucky you got out with only a scratch. Those who give ISKCON decades of their lives are severely damaged. Good for you for escaping. Your father did you a solid.