CityTypes: The Spiritualists

Driving along Venice Boulevard, a passerby may notice the pink colored building, without batting an eye and hence, never step in. The driver is making a mistake.

While visiting the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, you can't help but pop by its adjacent shop: Govinda's International Imports. You are led through the brown entrance doors, up the stairs originating from the restaurant and into the upstairs gift shop.

Two lovely ladies, dressed in brightly colored clothing, originally hail from India and Venezuela, respectively (as pictured). The first, from India, named Ujjvala Dasi is her initiated name, which she became after her initiation with the Guru. They are all 'Dasi' for the women or 'Das' for the men; they all share the same last name representing they exist to serve God.

The second woman's name is Chaturika Sakhi, originally from Venezuela. More than 10 years ago, when she first traveled around India, then Europe, and a return to India, in search of higher meaning, her spiritual master then invited her out to Los Angeles.

Dasi came to live and volunteer-work at the center, originally because her sister invited her there. The "employees" are volunteers who live at the center's adjacent apartments.

Click on the pictures to continue reading the latest addition to Patch's CityType series, which is designed to get behind the people that make the city go around.