Simple Living with Gopaswami Prabhu
at New Mayapura, France

This past August I went to France to attend the Kulimela, the gathering of second-generation devotees of Krishna. The gathering was held at the New Mayapura Farm which was purchased by Srila Prabhupada in the early 70s. It was a real treat to visit this farm. At one time there were more than 350 devotees living or based there. The centerpiece of the several hundred acre property is the large and well-preserved chatteau, surrounded by large oaks, lovely pastures and forests.

Dr. Gopaswami emerges from his
simple home, his granddaughter standing nearby. The front window
of the house was formerly the windshield of Indradyumna Swami's bus

While there I had the good fortune to make some new friends from various parts of Western Europe, one of whom is Dr. Gopaswami. What makes Gopaswami Prabhu so unique is that he lives a very simple life in a self-built a cob house with a straw and shake roof, his home for more than 12 years. 

All materials for the house came from the surrounding forests, and the house is nestled into the edge of the forest facing a large pasture. The one-room house uses one small stove for adequate heat all winter long.

Side view of the house

Back wall with exhaust pipe for the wood stove
(removed during the summer)

The "flooring" is simply burlap bags on top of a clay floor

Besides the chatteau the farm has other somewhat modern properties that would have been much more comfortable for living with his wife and daughter. Nonetheless Gopaswami Prabhu has opted to live the simple life as instructed by Srila Prabhupada. Most of the earlier residents left the farm as well as the Movement after the fall of the leader Bhagavan Das in the mid-80s. Of those who remained the rest opted for more modern living on other parts of the property.





During the summer months the family spends most of their time at the chatteau, or out of doors with facility for wood-fire cooking, washing and bathing. In front of the house are simple log or wooden seats to accommodate guests.

Govardhana Hill replicated to the side of the house

This farm is now home to about 5 cows, one of whom iscurrently milking, and 2 teams of oxen, one older pair and one younger.  There is a modern barn with plenty of room for silage during the winter months. Gardening is done by one retired devotee who lives off of the property.


 Two young men who grew up at New Mayapura are in the process of returning to work with the bulls, work the land and live the simple life as well. These young men give hope that the farm may at some future time be restored to its former glory, providing natural shelter and simple living to hundreds of people.

We give praise to Gopaswami Prabhu and his wife and daughter for their determination for simple living and for giving a wonderful example to others.

A second similar building recently constructed serves as
the Doctor's office and guest house

Learning from his past, the new dwelling has
clay covered thatch as an interior roof