Where does love truly figure? – A Valentine’s Day special episode about Hungary’s Krishna Valley
In a world where #situationship, #ghosting, #benching, and #breadcrumbing dominate the language of modern relationships, the question arises—where does love truly figure? As the video podcast India: A Story in the Making explored in its Valentine’s Day special episode, love, in its deepest sense, may go far beyond fleeting emotions and momentary connections.
I have to do my duty, and Krishna will do his
The London-based video podcast, hosted by award-winning journalist Loveena Tandon, delves into global perspectives on the evolving India story. This time, it ventured into an extraordinary setting—Krishna Valley in Somogyvámos, Hungary—an eco-spiritual farm and self-sustaining community, two and a half hours from Budapest. Here, cows and oxen are not treated as commodities but live out their entire lives, cared for even when they are no longer useful for farm work. The valley, largely powered by solar energy, serves as a haven for spiritual seekers and practitioners of Krishna consciousness.
During the episode, India: A Story in the Making interviewed two devotees, exploring the theme of love beyond materialistic and possessive notions. Once known as Tali, now Sukhyanti Devi Dasi, the guesthouse manager at Krishna Valley, spoke of love as an act of surrender rather than possession. “When it’s all about ‘me, me, me,’ then there is no real relationship,” she said, emphasizing that selflessness and devotion define the purest form of love.
Joining the conversation was Hungarian-born once known as Virág and now Vallabhi Kanta Dasi—an influencer, singer, and book illustrator—who recently lost her husband to a brain tumour. Now a single mother to a five-year-old, she shared how Krishna consciousness has given her strength through immense grief. “I am sad-happy… I keep chanting. I have to do my duty, and Krishna will do his. I am his responsibility,” she said, her eyes reflecting both sorrow and resilience.
I found all my answers in the Bhagavad Gita
Sukhyanti, of Israeli and Canadian descent, recounted her journey into Krishna consciousness. During her travels across Europe, she encountered the Hare Krishna movement and never looked back. “I found all my answers in the Bhagavad Gita,” she said. “In fact, I got answers to questions I wasn’t even looking for.” She explained how faith in Krishna’s teachings gave her the patience to work through marital struggles, ultimately strengthening her relationship. “People check out when problems arise, but they forget—if karma requires you to go through something, it will happen, whether through this person or another. Karma will find you.”
Their perspectives on love challenge modern-day relationship dynamics, where patience and commitment often wane in the face of conflict. This shift is reflected in global statistics—divorce rates continue to rise, with studies showing that single-person households are increasing worldwide. According to Eurostat, in 2022, the European Union (EU) recorded approximately 1.9 million marriages and an estimated 0.6 million divorces, equating to a crude divorce rate of 1.6 divorces per 1,000 persons. Notably, since 1964, the crude marriage rate in the EU has declined by almost 50%, from 8.0 per 1,000 persons in 1964 to 4.2 in 2022, while the crude divorce rate has doubled from 0.8 to 1.6 per 1,000 persons over the same period.
India: A Story in the Making continues its journey through Hungary
In terms of household composition, the number of single-person households in the EU has seen a significant rise. In 2023, out of 200 million households, over 73 million were single adults without children, marking a 21% increase from 2013 to 2023.
As India: A Story in the Making continues its journey through Hungary, future episodes will feature interviews with renowned ballerina, actor, and film director Henrietta Tunyogi, as well as astrologer, Vaastu Shastri, and Ayurveda expert Adam Bakhtai. With its unique approach, the podcast is not only documenting India’s evolving story but also uncovering deeper human connections that transcend geography, culture, and time.
India: A Story in the Making can be watched on YouTube HERE.
The audio is available on most podcast platforms through the following link: Podcast Smart Link
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