Yasodapura Eco Village is a rural community project in Cambodia established by Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaja in 2006. The project aims to create self-sufficient villages based on organic farming, cow protection, and traditional lifestyles. It seeks to preserve forests and water resources while providing education, healthcare, skills training, and spiritual practices to improve lives. The village has acquired 11 hectares of land and is developing in phases, with the goal of serving as a prototype for sustainable living. Support is requested through donations, skills, materials or adopting a family to help realize the vision.

2. YASHODAPUR
ECO VILLAGE
Creating Vedic Village Models in the
Kingdom of Cambodia
Author : Sriman Guna Avatara das
E-Mail : gunaavatara.dasa@yahoo.co.id
Date Produced : February, 2013
Editor : Srimamati Vrindavan Lila d.d.
Serial No. : 21 of 54

4. Location of Yashodapura Asrama
Prasat village, Chup Te Traw Commune,
Angkor Thom District, Siem Riep.
(50 kms from Siem Reap Town)
Tel: (+855) 11368114 or 972801649
www.iskconcambodia.com

5. Respected Founder of Yashodapura Asrama
H.H. Bhakti Raghava Swami Maharaja
In the year 2006, Maharaja became involved with
preaching activities and community development in
Cambodia. Here he established an NGO called the
“Global Varnasrama Educational Social Cultural
Organization” (GLOVESCO) and is spearheading a
rural community called “Yasodapura Asrama”.
His Holiness has concentrated his preaching mostly
in Asian countries such as India, Indonesia and
Cambodia. He travels extensively and holds seminars
promoting the varnasrama mission. He has authored
several books such a “Make Vrindavana Village”,
“Varnasrama Education” and “Village Life” The
Sanskrit word Varnasrama is formed by joining 2
words “Varna” and “Asrama”. “Varna” refers to a
person’s social order or caste, whereas “Asrama”
refers to a person’s order of life or order of his
spiritual culture.

6. COWS
Yasodapura Asrama aims to assist
villagers to value their land and
cows by demonstrating natural
organic farming and traditional
lifestyle for the benefit of children,
youth, householders and all
members of society.

7. VILLAGES
YASODAPURA ASRAMA aims at
giving special emphasis on
developing self-sufficient and
sustainable eco-villages in
Cambodia.

8. MOTHER EARTH
YASODAPURA ASRAMA places
special emphasis on the need to
preserve a healthy eco-balance and
pursue policies aimed at preserving
our natural forests, maintaining our
natural water resources by avoiding
chemical pesticides and chemical
fertilizers which bring harm to
Mother Earth.

9. TRAINING & EDUCATION
YASODAPURA ASRAMA will introduce
the ancient system of Gurukula for the
younger boys and Varnasrama College
for the older boys, covering both formal
and non-formal education. The school
plans to have a library for both students
and all the villagers.

10. NURSERY, FOREST & SEED BANK
Yasodapura Asrama will train and
encourage the villagers to keep their
natural seeds and to start a nursery.
We will help preserve a clean
environment and help restore
natural forests which are useful for
fuel, shelter and water preservation.

11. SMALL SCALE/ COTTAGE INDUSTRY
Yasodapura Asrama encourages its
residents to weave their own cloth by
using traditional handloom. Other
activities such as pottery, masonry,
construction and similar artisanship
are also supported so that the
villagers are self-sufficient and
localized for meeting their
necessities.

12. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Yasodapura Asrama introduces the art
of mantra meditation, yoga and
general spiritual practices which are
mutually inclusive, respecting both
the Buddhist & Vedic teachings. The
residents will have their own place of
prayer and worship.

13. VILLAGE TECHNOLOGIES
Traditional village technologies such as
natural water lifting devices, jaggery
making units, oil ghani, stone grinding
of wheat flour, de-husking of rice,
making of flat rice and other such
village technologies will be taught to
the villagers.

14. HEALTH CARE
Yasodapura
Asrama gives
information about
natural medicines
and natural herbs.
Wherever possible,
a small Nature
Cure Unit will be
established.

15. YASODAPURA ASRAMA is meant to serve as a prototype
eco-village where natural principles of self-sufficiency &
sustainability based on holistic farming and cow
protection are practiced, with the aim of bringing a
healthy and happy life for the children and youth of
Cambodia. The program addresses the immediate needs
of food, shelter, health, employment, education,
environment, protection of women and children with the
ultimate aim of spiritual emancipation.
PLEASE JOIN HANDS WITH US!
HELP US BUILD A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR CAMBODIA!

16. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
PHASE I * YEAR 2007
We acquired 5.5 hectare of land in the District of Angkor Thom, 40 KMS from
Angkor Wat.
PHASE II * YEAR 2010
We completed the payment of other 5.5 hectare. We cleared the land of the
bush and began working on the Master Plan for the proposed community. Basic
infrastructures like cottage, well, boundary fence were constructed. Achieved
production of our own crops, transplanted the fruits trees from the nursery to
the ground. Also imparted learning and teaching skills to the local villagers.

17. PHASE III * Year 2011
We established our small temple and one local family began staying. Our Indonesian
brahmacari devotees began spending few days a week regularly at the farm.
At the end of the year we got our first rice production. We also harvested a good
quantity of beans, cassava, and sweet potatoes, besides other vegetables.
PHASE IV * Year 2012
Another family joined the Ashrama to stay on the farm. Our brahmacaris started the
second season of farming and also began prolonging their stay at the ashrama. We
conducted wide scale prasadam distribution programs along with noon kirtan. We also
made an effort to run a summer camp for children and adopt Mother Cows.
PHASE IV * Year 2013
We began building a traditional Vaisnava school with local wood that was readily
available from our lad. We also excavated two ponds and expect to make better water
irrigations facilities in the near future.

18. GETTING INVOLVED
1. SUPPORTING MEMBERSHIP
Become a Monthly Supporting
Member. Contribute in cash or kind.
2. SHARING YOUR SKILLS
Share any skills you may have
to help us realize our project.
3. SPECIFIC ASSISTANCE
* Land * Cows * Building Materials
* Tools * Seeds * Books * Saplings

19. *** CONTACTS ***
www.iskconcambodia.com
Cell: +855 11368114
KISORA KRSNA DASA
kisorakrsna@yahoo.com
GUNAAVATARA DASA
Gunaavatara@yahoo.com

20. CONTACTS
www.iskconcambodia.com
Cell: +855 11368114
KISORA KRSNA DASA
kisorakrsna@yahoo.com
GUNAAVATARA DASA
Gunaavatara@yahoo.com

21. Sriman Guna Avatara das

22. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Name Sriman Guna Avatara das
Age and Gender 27/Male
Country/Province of Origin Indonesia/Bali
Educational Degree and Year Diploma 2 PGSD/2008
Educational Institution University of Lampung/UNILA
Professional Work/Experience Social Worker/Monk
Affiliation with ISKCON March 2007
Present Service in ISKCON Yasodhapura Eco Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia