Thousands mourn Krishna leader Charu Das after fatal car crash in Utah

SPANISH FORK — Thousands are mourning the loss of a spiritual leader who dedicated his life to making the world a kinder and more colorful place.

Charu Das, president of the Utah Krishnas, was killed Monday in a four-car collision in Springville. Das was traveling south on Main Street, approaching 1400 North, when he veered his car out of his lane and collided with oncoming traffic.

Das, 79, has long been a fixture in the Krishna community, having opened the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork in the early '90s.

Das is best known for creating the ever-popular Festival of Colors, held at the Spanish Fork temple every March to welcome spring. The event was most recently held just over a week ago, with thousands of participants.

KSL spoke to Das in February, leading up to the festival, which he said was a highlight of his year. He said he loves how it brought people from all walks of life together.

"People are there to celebrate diversity and difference, so they're predisposed to have a peaceful, friendly, congenial time," Das said in February. "In the Festival of Colors, the seeds of violence that are in other events are not there because there is no partisanship. ... There is nothing about it that is exclusive. Everything is inclusive."

Das said he often heard from visitors that the festival was a place where they could be themselves — exactly how he believes it is in the spiritual world.

"In the kingdom of God, you don't have to prove yourself," he said. "You're God's child. You're already blessed. ... There's no name-calling in the spiritual world, and God wants to give people a taste of that unconditional love.

"In Christianity, it says wherever two or three are gathered, God himself comes, and we have similar statements in our own scriptures," he continued. "The benefits of coming together as children of God and glorifying our common father were how the Festival of Colors originally started."

Despite his efforts to create peace, trials still found a way to him. In June of last year, gunshots were fired at the temple, causing thousands of dollars in damage. Das said in February that he was grateful no one was injured in the incident, adding that good ultimately came from it as the community rallied around them to repair the damage.

"Fortunately, no one was in the building when it happened," he told KSL. "I'm not saying that I'm happy it happened, but I am saying that it's a good illustration of how God can use what was meant for your harm for your good."

Since the news of his passing, people from around the world have been expressing condolences and sharing memories.

Pritha Lal, of Springville, met Das in 1998, before the temple in Spanish Fork was constructed. She said that he blessed her home through ceremonial prayer and always made her and her family feel loved.

"(Das) always blessed my daughter Parijat with so much love, so much kindness, and he always spoke to both my husband and I with so much affection," Lal told KSL. "It was very hard not to feel seen and heard by him. He made you feel so special and that you were so loved. ... He made you feel like you mattered to God."

Services for Das will be held on April 11 at 9 a.m. at the Walker Funeral Home located at 187 S. Main, in Spanish Fork.

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