History
Radha Madhav Dham (Barsana Dham), was established in 1990, as the main US Center of the International Society of Divine Love, which was founded in the 1970s. Radha Madhav Dham was built to be a representation of the holy land of Braj in India where Radha and Krishna are believed by Hindus to have appeared, around 5,000 years ago. It has been designed as a place of pilgrimage in America. Areas of Radha Madhav Dham have been developed to be the places for meditation. Places of Braj like Govardhan, Radha Kund, Prem Sarovar, Shyam Kuti, etc. are represented in Radha Madhav Dham where a natural stream named Kalindi represents the Yamuna river of Vrindaban.
In 1991, around 60 devotees moved into single-family homes and dormitories on the grounds. During the 1990's, young residents were repeatedly sexually assaulted by Swamiji. In 2002, the International Society of Divine Love was officially renamed JKP-Barsana Dham to associate itself with the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.
On March 6, 2011, after a meeting at Barsana Dham, Swamiji jumped bail. In April 2011, following the "disappearance of its founder and leading guru" Swamiji after his conviction on 20 charges of sexual indecency with a child at Barsana Dham, based on the allegations of 3 adults who had accused him of groping them 15 years earlier, the organization changed its name. During the trial, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati was barred from entering the Barsana Dham. According to the Austin American-Statesman, "Barsana Dham has moved aggressively on the Internet to wipe out all traces of its connection to the guru. The name of the ashram has been changed to JKP Radha Madhav Dham. On its new website, pictures or mentions of Prakashanand are nowhere to be found."
In 2012, on the one year anniversary of the trial, Vrinda Devi, Radha Madhav Dham spokeswoman, stated that "What we've been trying to do since then is moving forward." She added that, "As far as Swamiji's presence, we've subdued that in order to go on and survive as a minority religious community."
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