Vedic City voters add Maharishi to name

DesMoines Register/November 20, 2003

The state's newest city has already changed its name.

Vedic City voters approved the new name, Maharishi Vedic City, at the Nov. 4 city election.

It became official when certified election results were delivered to the Iowa secretary of state's office Friday.

"The reason we want the name Maharishi on it is because Vedic is a tradition that goes back thousands of years, but Maharishi has made it predominant in the world in this generation," said Bob Wynne, the city's mayor.

Vedic City, population 99, is located about four miles northwest of Fairfield. It was incorporated in 2001 by followers of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He founded the Transcendental Meditation movement and first brought his followers to Fairfield in 1974 to establish a college based on ancient teachings from India.