https://doi.org/10.15407/orientw2020.02.101
Language: Ukrainian
The article is dedicated to the identical aspects of the development of
the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Ukraine. To be more precise, to the place of Ukrainian
culture in Society and in adherents' life. The topic seems problematic taking
to account the huge role of Vaishnava culture (Hindu in its base) in ISKCON. Hence the question is whether there is
some space for local (national) culture and national particularities in such
Hindu oriented religious movement. The article is the result of fieldwork
started in 2015 and taking the systematic character in 2019. The qualitative
methods of sociology such as interviews and participant observation were used
in the research. The material was collected in the temples of cities and towns
in Ukraine such as Kyiv, Lviv, Rivne, Donetsk (the devotees were on the
controlled territories at that time), Kharkiv, Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kramatorsk.
There were temple administrators and Maharajas among the respondents.
It was proved that in Ukrainian ISKCON as well
as in every other Society in the world, the theology of Vaishnavism forms the
attitude to the national culture – the aim of a devotee is rather to get rid of
all identifications with the material world (hence with national culture) than
to identify with it. So, it seems natural that on the level of ISKCON community
Ukrainian culture is not cultivated much. Though taking to account the
postcolonial context of the development of the country, some devotees have a
particular attitude to Ukrainian culture and were trying to incorporate it in
Vaishnava worldview. Such adherents see the value of national culture in its
connection with the ancient Aryan culture, so they are searching similarities
of both cultures in the language, art, way of life, etc. Thus, so-called
"Aryan-Tripilian theories of Ukrainian ethnogenesis" appear
attractive and relevant for many of them. Though this tendency is quite marginal in Ukrainian ISKCON, it can be named as a national
distinguishing feature of Ukrainian ISKCON.
Key words: ISKCON, Ukrainian culture, Vaishnava culture,
Vaishnavism, «Aryan myth».
