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Dr Angela Burt gives a short history of an ancient tradition … Left: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati,
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the History
with his guru was infrequent, the
to 15th century meaning and purpose of life by knowing relationship was significant since he had
Bengal, India. God. taken his instructions deep within his
heart. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s most
of a Movement
Although only 50 years old as an insti-
tution in 2015, ISKCON is part of the important order to him was to spread
The International Society for Krishna Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition that can the teachings of Krishna consciousness
Consciousness (ISKCON) was founded be traced back to 15th century Bengal, in English. By extension, this instruc-
in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhak- India. At that time, Chaitanya Ma- tion meant teaching Krishna conscious-
tivedanta Swami, later referred to by his haprabhu, who is accepted by Gaudiya ness in the West.
followers with the honorific title of ‘Srila Vaishnavas as an incarnation of Krishna Through his extraordinary success in
Prabhupada.’ acting as a devotee, spread the teachings following the order of his guru, Srila
In 1966 Srila Prabhupada’s students of Krishna consciousness through His Prabhupada takes his place among other
Srila Prabhupada is part of a succession
joyous singing and dancing and pure de- prominent spiritual masters in the line-
engaged in their first public chanting of gurus (parampara) within the Brahma
votion to Krishna. age of teachers in the Brahma Madhva
Madhva Gaudiya sampradaya—a reli-
Gaudiya sampradaya.
(kirtana) of the holy names of God, for gious community within the tradition of Inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
Vaishnavas (devotees of Krishna). This a line of gurus continued on until the In 1937, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
which Hare Krishna devotees would later succession of gurus or spiritual teachers late 19th century when Bhaktivinoda Thakura passed away, leaving his disci-
is vitally important within the tradition Thakura revolutionized the dissemina- ples to manage his preaching mission. In
because it is considered essential to hear tion of Krishna consciousness. He did 1954, after many years of family life, Sri-
become famous worldwide. from a guru in order to understand the this by authoring and mass-producing la Prabhupada accepted the renounced
order and totally dedicated his life to the 70,000 copies on the first day. Within a
mission of his guru. In 1959 he formal- few weeks the devotees appeared on the
ised that renunciation by accepting the popular TV show Top of the Pops, sing- How is ISKCON Managed?
order of sannyasa, forsaking the com- ing the Hare Krishna mantra. ‘The Hare
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness Often working under the GBC are regional governing
forts of married life. Krishnas’ as they had come to be known,
had become a household name. (ISKCON) is governed by a group of senior devotees, bodies (RGBs) comprised of GBC zonal secretaries
After many years of preparation, he left men and women, called the Governing Body Com- and additional leaders within the region. RGBs
India on 13 August 1965 and set sail for In September 1969, Srila Prabhupada mission (GBC). undertake the supervision of ISKCON centers and
the US with a free passage aboard the visited London to see the progress made
steamship Jaladuta. After a difficult voy- projects on a region-specific level, such as Europe,
by his disciples in establishing Krishna At the time of writing, the GBC body has 32 mem-
age during which he suffered two heart South America and India.
consciousness there. At that time he met bers who are individually responsible for overseeing
attacks, he arrived in Boston on 17 Sep- George Harrison and resided at John the management and spiritual standards of ISKCON According to Srila Prabhupada’s directions, all
tember 1965. Lennon’s country estate, Tittenhurst centers in assigned geographic regions. The govern- ISKCON temples are financially independent yet
The Counter Culture Park, where he engaged in discourse on ing body is administered through a GBC executive function under the ecclesiastical management of
spiritual topics with John Lennon and committee (EC) that consists of a chairperson, vice the GBC. A temple president, who is responsible
Not knowing what to expect when he
Yoko Ono.
reached the US, upon settling in New chairperson, and secretary. These executive posts for carrying out the mission, locally manages each
York City, Srila Prabhupada came face ISKCON grew at a rapid rate in the ear- are held for one-year rotating assignments after ISKCON temple and goals of ISKCON as outlined by
to face with the famous counter-culture ly 1970s. By that time Srila Prabhupada which time the chairperson’s term of office expires, Srila Prabhupada. While working under the supervi-
movement of the 1960s. The counter Above: George Harrison of the Beatles chanting with devotees in London consectetuer adipisc- had established centers all over the US as the vice chairperson succeeds the chairperson, and sion of their assigned GBC zonal secretary, temple
culture offered an alternative to main- ing elit Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis partu well as in the UK, Europe, India, South the secretary succeeds the vice chairperson. The presidents are encouraged to act with local initiative
stream American values, and its partici- America, Australia, Africa, and Asia. governing body then elects a new secretary to join and are responsible for overseeing all functions of a
pants were commonly known as ‘hip- Responding to an invitation from some Most of these centers included living
Exponential growth: 1960s–1970s the executive committee each year. temple, including educational programs, Deity wor-
pies.’ of his students, Srila Prabhupada jour- quarters where full-time members could
After its humble beginnings in 1965, reside in order to serve the mission. By ship, congregational development, ISKCON events
neyed to San Francisco in 1967 to estab- GBC members also supervise specific projects, initia-
While initially his spiritual discourses ISKCON’s mission to give Krishna within the community, care of temple residents,
lish his mission there. There he led pub- the early 1970s, his followers numbered tives, and ministries. Following the instructions of
based upon the ancient spiritual texts of consciousness to Westerners flourished building maintenance, and financial stability.
lic chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra in the hundreds, with most members be- Srila Prabhupada, the GBC body convenes yearly in
India attracted an attendance of older and expanded exponentially from 1966 Moreover, temple presidents have the responsibil-
at the Mantra Rock Dance, a concert ing in the US and the UK. Mayapur, West Bengal, India, for its Annual General
middle class women, a change in loca- onwards. With the assistance of his stu- ity of maintaining in their local center ISKCON’s
that featured some of the most popular The rapidly growing society needed a Meeting. During this period, they discuss proposals,
tion to the Lower East side of New York dents, Srila Prabhupada rented various
American rock bands of the day. management structure to support it, and
spiritual standards as outlined by Srila Prabhupada.
City attracted a different audience. Dis- properties in New York City, the first specific issues and projects within ISKCON, and pass
affected American youths were question- location of note being a storefront at 26 In 1968 Srila Prabhupada’s mission Srila Prabhupada had assigned a temple resolutions by way of a voting process.
ing the material values that formed the Second Avenue in Manhattan. spread to the UK when he sent three president at each center. However, due
basis of mainstream American culture married couples to establish preaching to the rapidly increasing size of the in-
and consequently attendance at his class- In 1966 Srila Prabhupada’s students stitution, in July 1970 he found it neces-
centers there. Drawing upon a combi- tablished the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust his focus to India when he visited his
es gradually increased. While his follow- engaged in their first public chanting sary to form a governing board, which
nation of ingenuity, bravado and de- (BBT), which became ISKCON’s in- homeland with some of his disciples in
ing was still relatively small, Prabhupada (kirtana) of the holy names of God, for he named the Governing Body Com-
termination, in 1969 they engineered a house publishing entity, producing Srila tow, showcasing his success in convinc-
formalized his preaching mission by reg- which Hare Krishna devotees would lat- mission (GBC)
meeting with The Beatles, and George Prabhupada’s translations and commen- ing Westerners to take up the practice
istering it as the International Society for er become famous worldwide.
Harrison, who had already heard about This governing body comprised 12 mem- taries on Vaishnava devotional texts. of Krishna consciousness. Two years
Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on ISKCON Press was established late the Hare Krishnas. Soon after they re- bers who would assist Srila Prabhupada later, he would take the first steps in the
13 July 1966. 1966, with the aim of publishing trans- corded a chanting of the Hare Krishna in managing the affairs of ISKCON. In Back to India construction of temples on land that
lations of Gaudiya Vaishnava devotional mantra with the Beatles, which was the same month, Srila Prabhupada es- In 1970, Srila Prabhupada returned ISKCON had purchased in Mumbai
texts. released by Apple Records, and sold