Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa: Difference between revisions
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'''Maharishi Vedic City''' is located in [[Jefferson County, Iowa]]. The city was first incorporated in 2001 as Vedic City but then officially changed the name to Maharishi Vedic City five months later. The total population, currently about 200, is expected by its planners to reach 1,200 by the year 2010<ref name="NYT"/>. Maharishi Vedic City is [[Iowa]]'s newest city and follows [[Maharishi Mahesh Yogi]]'s views on architectural design that form part of his [[Maharishi Vedic Science]], the foundation of [[Transcendental Meditation]]. |
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==Geography== |
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Maharishi Vedic City is located approximately two miles northwest of [[Fairfield, Iowa]], the home of [[Maharishi University of Management]]. |
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===ZIP codes=== |
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All addresses in Maharishi Vedic City fall under the 52556 [[ZIP code]]. |
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==History== |
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The idea for Maharishi Vedic City was conceived in [[1991]] by Chris Johnson, a real estate developer from [[San Francisco]].<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |
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| url = http://www.rickross.com/reference/tm/tm22.html |
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| title = In Many Ways, a New Iowa Town Looks to East |
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| author = [[Jennifer 8 Lee]] |
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| publisher = [[The New York Times]] |
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| date = April 17, 2001 |
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| accessdate = 2007-03-05}} Reprinted at the [[Rick Ross (consultant)|]] website.</ref> This idea evolved into a working municipality centered on the principles and teachings of [[Maharishi Mahesh Yogi]], including his views on architectural design. These views, part of [[Maharishi Vedic Science]], are claimed by Maharishi to promote happiness and energy, and include having a gold-colored kalash on the roof of each building and having all structures face to the east. |
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Johnson and a dozen other followers of Maharishi purchased 50 farms totaling 3,000 acres, some 1,200 of which were designated for the town itself.<ref name="NYT"/> They laid out development in 10 circles ringing about one square mile, and paved roads, installed utilities from sewage to internet, and constructed buildings including two hotels, houses, office buildings, and a Vedic observatory with ancient astronomical instruments to orient the town within the cosmos.<ref name="NYT"/> Eventually a double golden dome in the center of the layout will serve as a venue for [[yogic flying]], similar to a facility already in use at the nearby university because residents believe that group practice of this technique "will create coherence for the whole country".<ref name="NYT"/> Financial and infrastructure needs led Maharishi Vedic City to seek formal approval as a city from the state, and after petitioning the Iowa City Development Board and holding a [[referendum]]<ref name="NYT"/>, it was incorporated as Iowa's newest city on July 21, [[2001]]—the first in Iowa since 1982. The group expects to have a population of over 1,000 by 2010, chiefly from meditators already living in Fairfield.<ref name="NYT"/> |
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[[Sanskrit]] has been named the city's "ideal language," although other languages are used. In November [[2001]], the city's name was expanded to Maharishi Vedic City. In November [[2002]], the [[city council]] passed an [[ordinance]] banning the sale of non-[[organic production|organic]] food. As of 2003, the city began offering tours to the public.<ref name="DMR">{{cite news |
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| url = http://desmoinesregister.com/life/stories/c2224444/21999670.html |
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| title = Vedic City opens its doors for tours |
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| author = Ellen Heath |
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| publisher = [[Des Moines Register]] |
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| date = [[August 17]] [[2003]] |
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| accessdate = 2007-03-05}}</ref> The city council voted to ban the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers within the city limits in April [[2005]], becoming the first all-organic city in the country. |
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==Government== |
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Maharishi Vedic City is administered by a five-person city council and a [[mayor]]. Few laws or ordinances exist, citing [[natural law]] as the governing principle of the city. The current mayor is Dr. Bob Wynne. |
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==See also== |
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*[[Maharishi Mahesh Yogi]] |
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==References== |
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<references/> |
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==External links== |
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*[http://maharishivediccity.net/ Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa] |
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*{{geolinks-US-hoodscale|41.050732|-91.993976}} |
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[[Category:Jefferson County, Iowa]] |
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[[Category:Cities in Iowa]] |
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{{Iowa-geo-stub}} |
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Revision as of 20:44, 8 June 2007
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