On Friday, August 13, 1965, a small, beat-up cargo ship set sail from Calcutta. In addition to the crew, one passenger, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, disembarked in New York City with 40 rupees, a three-month visa, and a mission to bring Krishna consciousness to the Western world.
60 years later, thanks to vigorous public engagement, widespread distribution of religious literature, and the highly visible practice of chanting “Hare Krishna” in public spaces, the success of Bhaktivedanta Swami’s miss