Costa Rica Reports Theft of Deities

BY: CARLOS VARGAS SOLANO

[Photo by Alberto Monge]

Jul 07, COSTA RICA (HPI) — Sacred images of great spiritual value for the members of the Hare Krishna religious congregation were removed from their temple, located in Paradise of Carthage. One is the image of Sri Krishna, the maximum point of adoration, as well as two sacred pieces and ornaments that were used in their ceremonies.

Under suspicion for the theft are four members of the same congregation. President of the association, Patricia Araya, made a formal denunciation of the theft.

The denounced ones are a Colombian, two Nicaraguan women, mother and daughter named Tijerinos and Rivers, and another individual. The four were in charge of the Deity worship going on last Monday, the day on which the robbery took place.

“THEY WANT TO HURT THE CONGREGATION”

Consulted on the robbery, one of the members of this group, Devarat das, indicated that “beyond the economic value of removed Deities, the painful thing it is that they want to hurt the congregation”.

According to statements made to several of the members, the interest to sell a multi-million dollar property is what is causing this situation. The land where the congregation is currently located, near the Mall Paradise, is an area of 22 hectares valued at five million dollar. Apparently the owners feel that as long as the temple is active there, it will be difficult for them to sell the land.

The members of the local group indicate that apparently the nominal owners, who are outside the country, have allies in the country who are helping them make the congregation disappear, thus making them able to sell this land.

The owners of the property are an Italian, a German, a Colombian and a Costa Rican, of last names Savelloni, Kes, Bohórquez and González, respectively. The robbery of the Deities is seen as part of this process of weakening.