"Don't ask anyone any questions!"
We were warned. The Hare Krishnas are a Hindu-based 'movement' perhaps best known for its association with 'hippie culture' in the 1960s (and that infamous scene in Airplane!). Unlike most Hindus, Hare Krishnas believe in proselytizing and seeking converts.
I have had little personal contact with Hare Krishnas, so when I found out they have a temple in Coconut Grove, I was interested to see what it is like. Located in a nice area of the Grove, its 'compound' has a few small buildings, that each have several apartments. The temple is in its own building.
Walking from the gravelly parking lot to the temple, you will probably see a few Hare Krishnas (most, if not all, are not Indian), and they all smile and seem quite pleasant. The temple itself is a large hall and inside the main room are several representations of Krishna, a blue-skinned avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, who plays a central role in the Hindu book the Bhagavad Gita.
Its patrons are mainly chanting and, at certain times, a priest will come out and say more chantings and offer prasadam, a food that is distributed after prayer (usually something like nuts or raisins).
They do sell food, but we found most of it to be very bland and lacking in taste (and not spicy). Still, all proceeds support the temple and its devotees.
Overall, a nice, unique experience in a surprising location.
Note: They used to do a farmer's market in the Grove, but I'm not sure if they do anymore though. read more