Varanasi, Aug 30 (IANS): The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is going to develop a grand Radha Gopal Mandir Vedic India Cultural Centre in Bhelupur, the second such after Kanpur.

According to the ISKCON authorities, the project will be completed by mid-2023.

Achyut Mohan Das, chairman ISKCON Varanasi, said that the temple will be named Sri Sri Radha Gopal Mandir Vedic India Cultural Centre.

"It will be an effort to present the traditional values and culture of Vedic India through modern means and help holistic development of the society," he said.

The temple will have yoga and other facilities along with accommodation of international standards for tourists coming from across the world.

A Vedic ashram will also be built in the temple for dedicated spiritual students and social activists.

"ISKCON Bhagavat Vidyapeeth will also be established in the cultural centre. Both, basic and advanced courses related to Srimad Bhagwad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Puranas, Upanishads, Chaitanya Charitamrita will be conducted at the centre.

It will also have an auditorium and three seminar halls with a capacity of 125 people. Tourists will be given a glimpse into the Vedic culture through video shows, dance, music, theatrics here," the chairman added.

The temple hall will be made on the theme of royal Jaipur Palace.

More than 250 devotees will be able to participate in the darshan, katha and kirtan in the temple.

Rooms will also be made for the residence of the guests coming from outside.

Two banquet halls will be made in the temple for cultural, corporate and family events.

It will also have Govinda restaurants to provide hygienic, vegetarian food to devotees.

Under the 'Food for Life' programme, free prasad will be distributed among visitors and poor people.

Achyut Mohan Das further said that under the social responsibility of ISKCON Varanasi, a 'Youth Welfare Centre' will also be established near Hyderabad Gate of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where workshops will be conducted to make the youth intellectually competent and technically skilled.

The centre will be operated in a four-storey building with seminar halls, kitchen for free meals, multi-purpose halls for cultural events, counselling facilities, recording studio for online courses, conference rooms for value education classes and mental and physical health, and meditation room.

"We wish to facilitate the potential of youth in a culture of care and positivity to empower them and make sustainable contributions to the society at large. Our effort is to equip the youths with all necessary support, association and positive value system to help them bridge the gap between their dreams and accomplishments," said Sandeep, director of ISKCON's cultural branch UMEED Foundation.