Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa

Coordinates: 41°03′03″N 91°59′38″W / 41.050732°N 91.993976°W / 41.050732; -91.993976
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Typical houses in Maharishi Vedic City, showing the gold-colored "kalash" on the roof

Maharishi Vedic City is a city in Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. The city was first incorporated in 2001 as "Vedic City" but then officially changed its name to "Maharishi Vedic City" five months later. The Census Bureau's 2006 estimates listed the city's population as 222 people.[1] Maharishi Vedic City is Iowa's newest city. The city plan and buildings are based on Maharishi Sthapatya Veda an ancient system of architecture and design revived by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who founded the Transcendental Meditation program.[2][3] The city's governing principles are drawn from the Maharishi's philosophy of universal natural law.[4] Its goals as stated in its constitution are to "protect, nourish, and satisfy everyone, upholding the different social, cultural, and religious traditions while maintaining the integrity and progress of the city as a whole".[5]

History

The concept of a "Vedic City" was conceived by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. [3] Chris Johnson, a real estate developer from San Francisco, along with Bob Wynne and several others, began to actualize their joint vision for a vedic town in 1991.[6] This concept evolved into a working municipality centered on the principles and teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, including his system of building design called Maharishi Sthapatya Veda design architecture. This ancient Indian system architecture and city planning, part of Maharishi Vedic Science, is said to promote happiness and prosperity.[3] Each building includes a gold-colored fixture on the roof, called a "kalash". In addition, all structures are built according to precise proportions, room placement and entrances that face due east.[3]

Johnson, and a dozen other developers purchased 50 farms totaling 3,000 acres (12 km2), some 1,200 of which were designated for the town itself.[6] Together they they planned a city arranged in 10 circles totaling about one square mile, along with paved roads, utilities, sewage and Internet. They then began the first phase of construction which included two hotels, various houses and office buildings. According to city officials more than $200 million of venture capital has been invested in Fairfield and Vedic City companies during the past 13 years. [7]

One of the unique features of the city is an outdoor Vedic Observatory. This consists of a group of 10 white concrete-and-marble astronomical instruments, each 6 feet tall. While they are precisely aligned with the sun, stars and moon, and could be used to calculate their movements, they also have the potential to enliven inner happiness and balance a person's physiology, according to Tim Fitz-Randolph, the developer who oversaw their design and construction.[6][8]

A double golden dome is planned for the center of the city to serve as a venue for yogic flying, similar to a facility already in use at the nearby university, Maharishi University of Management. Residents subscribe to the theory and research that group practice of this technique "will create coherence for the whole country".[6] 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,[6] it was incorporated as Iowa's newest city on July 21, 2001—the first in Iowa since 1982. The city is expected to have a population of over 1,000 by 2010, many of them transplants from Fairfield.[6]

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 food. 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. In 2003, the city began offering tours to the public.[9]

In 2002, a building known as "The Mansion" located in the heart of the city became the headquarters for the Global Country of World Peace.[10]

Geography

Maharishi Vedic City is located approximately two miles north of Fairfield, the home of Maharishi University of Management. All addresses in Maharishi Vedic City fall under the 52556 ZIP code.

Government

Maharishi Vedic City is administered by a five-person city council and a mayor. [11] Few laws or ordinances exist, citing natural law as the governing principle of the city. The city council's first resolution announced that the constitution of the city is "the Constitution of the Universe—Total Natural Law—RK Veda".[12] The current mayor is Bob Wynne.

References

  1. ^ "Subcounty population estimates: Iowa 2000-2006" (CSV). United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2008-05-28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ http://www.maharishivediccity.com/
  3. ^ a b c d American Way magazine, Home and Peace, William Kissel
  4. ^ http://www.maharishivediccity.com/welcome.html
  5. ^ "Resolution No. 1: To Adopt the Constitution of the Universe—Total Natural Law—as the Constitution of the City and Sanskrit as its Ideal Language" November 13, 2001
  6. ^ a b c d e f Jennifer 8 Lee (April 17, 2001). "In Many Ways, a New Iowa Town Looks to East". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-25.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Washington Post, Kari Lyderson, Aug 10 2004 [1]
  8. ^ AAA Magazine, Iowa Shangri La, Linda Egenes
  9. ^ Ellen Heath (August 17 2003). "Vedic City opens its doors for tours". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2007-03-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Official Web Site
  11. ^ Official Web Site
  12. ^ "Resolution No. 1: To Adopt the Constitution of the Universe—Total Natural Law—as the Constitution of the City and Sanskrit as its Ideal Language" November 13, 2001

External links

41°03′03″N 91°59′38″W / 41.050732°N 91.993976°W / 41.050732; -91.993976

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