ISKCON – Past, Present and Future (UK study)

By Radha Mohan Dasa

Krishna Consciousness is not a small or irrelevant entity, something people can easily drift in and out of and then forget altogether.

It seems to have had a marked or profound effect on virtually every member and former member.

Today there is a wide range of devotees who have an interesting variety of relationships and perspectives on the movement. Among the first British and American devotees some are still very much involved today.

Other devotees, on the other hand, may only have been involved for a few years or even less.

I therefore wanted to explore similarities and differences of perception, as well devotees’ general understandings about ISKCON. I found the interviews I conducted personally rewarding and hope the reader will find them useful in terms of understanding current perceptions held by devotees within the movement.

Throughout February and March 2004 I interviewed thirty-six devotees across England and Wales. The movement has been through periods when the turn-over of new members and members moving on has been high, and by definition it has not been possible to approach those who have drifted away altogether. However, when seeking interviewees I tried to approach as many different devotee types as possible.

After taking note of some of their personal information, interviewees were asked:

i)Why did you first join/ get involved in ISKCON?
ii)How has ISKCON changed since you first got involved?
iii)How do you see the future of ISKCON?

For those who have spent some time in the past living in a temple or who have received initiation, it is appropriate to ask “Why did you join?” For others, such as congregational members, I simply asked “Why did you get involved?”

As the results of all thirty-six interviews were too lengthy to present in detail in this chapter, only ten examples which I consider largely representative have been selected. I have placed the sequence of the interview results according to the date the respondents first began regularly to get involved. This, I hold, will help to show possible changes of perspective over time, since the late 1960s onwards. It is, moreover, good etiquette in Vaishnava culture to list names according to seniority, a practice also observed here.

Sri Pati Das

Sri Pati Das was introduced to ISKCON at the first programme organised by the American devotees in London in 1968. He first performed service in Montreal when he was twenty-three years old. Today he is a trained actor, and so occasionally takes external work in that area. He also co-ordinates a group called ‘A Garden for George’, a commemorative garden for George Harrison located within the grounds of Bhaktivedanta Manor.

Why did you join ISKCON?

Prabhupada seemed a much more sober, sagacious seller of Eastern wisdom than the other prospect that was available to me at the time – – that was Lobsang Rampa, who was famous for writing lurid tales about living in Tibetan monasteries and things, and I had the chance to meet him. I went to Montreal to see him again, but before that I met the Hare Krishna devotees there, who accommodated me. They said a party of them were leaving for Boston to meet ‘Swamiji’ (Srila Prabhupada) and asked if I would like to come along.
I was very impressed by ‘Swamiji’: his aura, everything about him was attractive…fascinating…and I just decided to spend time with the devotees to look into it deeper.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1968)?

Being further down the road things are a lot more institutionalised in many ways. The formulas have long been composed about how one should act. I’m sure things are being adjusted as things go along. In those days, the movement felt much more like a family affair. We were brothers and sisters. Back in the days when I joined the men and women were not even standing on opposite sides of the temple.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

I’m sure there will be changes, just like there have been changes since I joined. Prabhupada gave us the foundation stone, and it’s still there. We may be building it up as a prefab or a sky-scraper, or a tent or whatever it may be, but the same foundation stone is there. Eventually, a proper building will appear out of the mists of time. It is not fully built yet.

Sargar

Sargar, born in Uttar Pradesh, India, was brought up in an ashram gurukula (school) in Hardwar, run by the Arya Samaj. He has been in the UK since 1964 and is an artist. His first encounter with ISKCON was seeing the devotees on London streets in 1969, when he was thirty-four years old. Sargar sometimes visits ISKCON temples and appreciates them immensely.

Why did you get involved in ISKCON?

Before the late 1960s hippy period in Britain, there was a lot of racism and lack of acceptance of other cultures. But then, within a relatively short time, the fashion and mood of the youth changed: the Western hippy culture came, which was sympathetic towards Indian spirituality.

I was really impressed by the Hare Krishna bhajans that they were making and distributing, and I really liked the Hari Nama (dancing and singing on the streets). The music is very important – – the bhajan. When I went to the temple in Bury Place [6], I was watching the Hare Krishna devotees dance and sing…oh my God…I was in ecstasy…Tears started to flow from my eyes! The devotees took me to see Srila Prabhupada, who was upstairs at the time. Because my childhood was spent in the ashram, I could understand aspects of bhakti yoga that Srila Prabhupada was trying to spread in the Western countries.

How has ISKCON changed since your initial contact (in 1969)?

In those days there was a tidal wave of hippy movements and there were various related groups popping up. Now the hippies have gone. I miss my friends from that time actually. It was more of a youth movement then…Devotees are more serious and composed now than they were then.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

Ultimately, every individual has their own destiny and karma within or without an institution. ISKCON’s past was very youth orientated, but the first generation devotees are getting older…and they will be retiring and wanting to spend more time being around the temples. That’s what it’s like in India: the sannyasis and sadhus of the temples are most often retired people.

Jyestha Dasi

Jyestha, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, was twenty-three when she joined the movement in 1973 in Amsterdam. Today she works in the area of community development in the UK and pays particular attention to those most in need, such as those who are sick. Within the community she helps to encourage devotees who have been full-time temple residents at some point in the past, especially disciples of Srila Prabhupada and their families.

Why did you join ISKCON?

At such a young age I was really tired of material life. I had a lot of questions about the higher nature of life. I couldn’t understand why people were interested in just mundane things. They were just in their little boxes and I wanted to break out. They had no higher purpose or idea about superior culture and about the world in general. I felt compassion for all the suffering in the world and I wanted to do something about it.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1973)?

I feel we were very young, naïve and enthusiastic. First of all we had no children. Maybe one devotee (in the community I belonged to) had a child. The rest were single. We all lived in the temple; no one had any income apart from a few pounds for some toothpaste. We had absolutely nothing; we gave our life to Srila Prabhupada. We would go out on the street to chant and dance exactly as Srila Prabhupada said. It was simple living. In those days, when somebody moved out of the temple it was akin to leaving the movement itself. Now that is very different. It’s a whole new concept now. Now the society has obviously grown. People moving from the temple was a natural process, although in the very early days we did not anticipate that.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

Well, hopefully, increasing as Srila Prabhupada desired. I feel that it’s very important that we keep Srila Prabhupada at the centre of all our activities, and we keep pure hearts. Especially we have to be more personal with each other. I feel that’s the only way forward for ISKCON. It is very simple: to be personal, to look after each others’ needs. If the heart doesn’t become soft then we are doing something wrong. Bhakti yoga and Krishna Consciousness make the heart soft.

Sruti Dharma Das

Sruti’s initial encounter with ISKCON was in 1975, but he first saw the devotees in London back in 1969, the first year he arrived in the UK with his family from Uganda. He elected to move into the temple in 1978, when he was twenty-one. Sruti is a very important and influential member of the Bhaktivedanta Manor Foundation (BMF), which oversees the patron program and the Indian congregation of the Manor.

Why did you join ISKCON?

I always wanted to help people and I saw that the society was actually helping people on a level which no other institution could, and I realised that by helping people on a spiritual plane, not only are you helping others, I also had the contentment I was looking for.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1978)?

ISKCON has changed in terms of maturity. The devotees in the early years were always very sincere but not mature, and now, along with sincerity we have the maturity to assess how to look at different issues. The major change that has happened is that the numbers in the ashram have reduced and more people have become congregationally based, simply because obviously that’s the way an organisation would expand. Monastically there are limitations to expansion, but you can expand congregationally, and that is what has happened. It has been a natural expansion from the core.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

I think there are still many learning curves, but it is the movement that will go on for 10, 000 years [8], with or without us. So regardless, it may make mistakes, but it will get better, bigger and more organised. It is Mahaprabhu’s movement and therefore it will be successful.

Krishna Dharma Das

Krishna Dharma joined ISKCON in 1979 when he was twenty-four. He was president of the ISKCON temple in Manchester between 1986-2001 and was the founder of the present temple there. Today he is a writer and has authored several books, including Ramayan and Mahabharat for modern readers. He also regularly speaks on BBC Radio to give Hindu perspectives of contemporary issues and contributes to Radio 4’s Pause for Thought with Terry Wogan.

Why did you join ISKCON?

I met a Prabhupada disciple when I was hitch-hiking in England. He brought me straight to the Manor. There I met devotees whom I liked and I got attracted by the philosophy. Plus I was “materially fried”. I thought I was going to stay for a week or two, but one thing led to another, and I ended up staying in ISKCON permanently.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1979)?

It’s definitely matured in terms of social development. When I joined it was much more monastic, but now it’s more community based. Now there are a lot less monks and less people join by moving into the temple. Being a “member” has a much broader definition now. I see that as positive.

When I first joined there was more unity in the movement because the mood of Srila Prabhupada was still there (Srila Prabhupada had left two years previously); now that has been somewhat lost and I think we are struggling to unify within the plurality of spiritual authorities. So that’s a problem. But other than that, ISKCON has grown in acceptance in the broader community. There’s a much, much larger support base out there, especially among the Hindu community. These are all good things really.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

In the UK I think it will become more integrated with wider society; we’ll see more people leading normal lives (so to speak), becoming devotees. Gradually the Hare Krishna movement will be accepted as a religion in it’s own right, just as Sikhism and Buddhism, rather than just being seen as part of Hinduism.

I think eventually there will be self-sufficient communities of devotees scattered in rural places across the country. These things will take a long time, but they will come. That’s a major desire of many devotees, so it’s got to manifest sooner-or-later. After all, Srila Prabhupada did want that and our social structure – – the varnashram system – – requires it develops like that, in an organic way.

Ramanuja Das

Ramanuja was born into a Punjabi Hindu family in the Punjab itself. From childhood he worshipped Krishna in one way or another. He moved to the UK in 1981 and visited Bhaktivedanta Manor the same year. He was visited by devotees from about 1986 but
became serious in 1990 at the age of thirty. Today he is a jeweller, a family man, a
patron of Bhaktivedanta Manor and assists in the Sunday programme there.

Why did you join ISKCON?

I have always been religious. As I got older I wanted to know what the other religions had to say, so I studied them. I studied different Mayavadi religions …I looked into their philosophy. I looked into Sikhism, Christianity, Islam…In 1981 I read Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita As It Is in Hindi. Later on someone from Soho Street [13] sold me some more of his books. After reading them, I came to the conclusion that Krishna Consciousness is the answer.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1986)?

Before it was practically only those living in the temple who were getting initiated. It was more brahmacari (young celibate monk) dominated. Then, as was natural, many got married and it became more open to householders. This continued, and now ISKCON is grihastha (married householder) based.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

The philosophy will spread throughout the world, to every town and village as predicted by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. There will always be problems in this material world, and we are living in the age of ‘quarrel and hypocrisy’. As long as we follow the principles, it will grow. If we do not follow sincerely, it will not grow. We can not say there will never be any changes. According to time, place and circumstance, some things will change and adapt, but as long as Srila Prabhupada’s instructions are there, that’s okay. I see there is a good future; however, we need to be very careful regarding how we preach and who we get to preach. Often we are seen as a money-based society as opposed to a loving and spiritual one. There should also be more emphasis on
care, love and friendship between ISKCON devotees.

Malini Nitai Dasi

Malini was seventeen when she made first contact with ISKCON in Serbia in 1990. She moved to Britain four years after and today she performs pujari (priestly) service, is a member of the Special Constabulary (volunteer police) as well as being a housewife with a child.

Why did you join ISKCON?

I was looking for something spiritual in life. I went through Islam and Transcendental Meditation (T.M.). When I got in touch with the philosophy of Bhagavad Gita, everything fitted into place. It sounded most reasonable of all. So I went to an ISKCON temple in Serbia and it went on from there.

How had ISKCON changed (since 1990)?

People are more personal than they used to be. When I joined I have to admit that no one really bothered about you as a person – – as an individual. Now I am treated much better. People are more realistic in the way that people no longer have the mood that we can brush things under the carpet and behave poorly in the name of God.
We all come with loads of stuff when we join, so we have to deal with that, whilst making gradual (sometimes slow) progress, as opposed to an unrealistic amount of progress in a short time, but not dealing with internal matters.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

I wish people would stick together and try to see the common goal of serving Krishna, because even nowadays we have many other branches like ritviks and the Gaudiya Math. It seems people are getting more into dividing. Things have to be philosophically explained, but life is short and it seems some people dedicate their lives trying to defeat someone who thinks differently.
As for the future of ISKCON in my home country of Serbia – – it was formally communist, and therefore ISKCON was an underground community. Then there were the days of the civil war, which naturally made everything turbulent. Today there’s just a few struggling devotees, meeting in people’s flats. Devotees in places like Serbia should be stronger and maybe even start suing all the people who have lied about ISKCON in the media as an attempt to suppress it. They should not be passive, otherwise the situation will probably stay the way it is for some time.

Nima Suchak

Nima is a free-lance journalist, formally working for the UK Asian newspaper Eastern Eye and had first involvement with ISKCON in February 1994. At that time she was sixteen years old.

Why did you get involved with ISKCON?

My initial involvement was due to the campaign to save Bhaktivedanta Manor from closure by the local Council. At the time I didn’t actually know I was getting involved with ISKCON as such. It was initially a bit of pride, “we have the right to worship” mood. However, the devotion, the aspects of service in ISKCON and the discipline appealed to me immediately. After the campaign was over (in 1996), and the passion started to subside, I went away, still worshipping Krishna and Prabhupada, but taking a step back, to be a little more independent during university. As soon as I graduated, I came back to associate with devotees and to pick up where I left off in 1996…That seemed natural.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1994)?

I can’t answer for ISKCON in general, but the mood was a fighting spirit when I came to the Manor, which subsided, and quickly turned into a preaching spirit, especially among the younger generation.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

I would hope that the UK mission develops (as it is), working with authorities to raise its prestige in the eyes of society. Similarly, in the fields of education, becoming proactive in promoting yoga, alternative health, music, etc. With specialists on meditation, yoga, etc, these make ISKCON an authority.

Nitai Kirtan Das

Nitai is the son of the president of the ISKCON temple in Birmingham. Both his parents are second (brahmin) initiated. Around 1995, at seventeen years of age, he began to take ISKCON very seriously. Currently he is a member of the Birmingham wing of the Pandava Sena youth group [15], where he conducts programmes in universities in the Midlands area. He is as an engineer by occupation.

Why are you involved with ISKCON?

My parents would bring me to the ISKCON temples as a child. In 1994 my parents went to Mayapur and took initiation from Jaya Pataka Swami. I was sixteen then. They became vegetarian, chanting sixteen rounds a day. I could see that their characters had made a big change. From watching my parents, after a year I decided to take ISKCON very, very seriously.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1994/5)?

The temples and congregation have grown immensely, specifically the Indian community…the Western congregation too, but slower. When Hertsmere Borough Council tried to close the Manor, that massively increased the participation of the Indian community because it brought everyone together and brought ISKCON much more to their attention; it was widely advertised.
The ‘umpth’ of ISKCON has slowed down though. We are not seen on the streets as much. That could be seen as a negative point, but in another way it could be seen as positive because it’s people are practising more at home, which is fine. It just means there are less ‘front line’ devotees than before, but ISKCON is growing in other ways.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

Bhaktivedanta Manor has built a stable foundation for the long term future, but
for the smaller centres, not so. There is no national foundation to stabilise the smaller centres, but once that is done it will grow rapidly across the country. There is a lot of potential. Especially if you look at cities like Birmingham, there
is a big emphasis on and encouragement of multiculturalism, which is conducive
to the expansion of Krishna Consciousness.

Sudha Anant Fisher

Sudha first visited Bhaktivedanta Manor in 1996 with her husband Donald when she was fifty-five. The couple have been patrons since 1999 and currently live in the Harrow area. She was born in India, spent her youth in East Africa and moved to the UK in 1965. She was from a Vaishnava family. Today she attends two different ISKCON meetings at devotees’ houses.

Why did you get involved with ISKCON?

Originally, I was a follower of Sri Aurobindo who was a devotee of Krishna and part of the free India movement in the days of Gandhi.

Yet, one evening in the mid-1990s I had a dream: it was of Bhakti Caru Swami – – one of the ISKCON spiritual masters. The next day, I had another, even more significant dream. Standing by a gate were several very potent holy men. At the time I didn’t recognise them but I later identified them as being some of the great acharyas to which the Hare Krishna linage belongs – – Gaura Kishore das Babaji. The Hare Krishna mantra, as well as other mantras, were written on the gate. After I told my husband about my dreams, we recalled that we had seen Bhaktivedanta Manor on the news in regard to it being threatened by closure.
We saw this as a calling. Although we didn’t know anything about Hare Krishna, we felt sympathy for the temple and wanted to be like “good Samaritans”. We decided that we wanted to donate funds. Donald suggested we go the temple and we felt it spiritually awakening. I felt it was a natural progression from following Sri Aurobindo.

How has ISKCON changed (since 1996)?

These days there are more kirtan and programmes…more activity. It’s getting better and the number of people getting involved is increasing.

How do you see the future of ISKCON?

I think it’s definitely going to grow…especially because the preaching programmes are of a high standard.

Analysis of the Interview Results: Why did they join?

According to the results of the thirty-six devotees interviewed, five key conversion motifs can be identified:

i)Spiritual seekers impressed by the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, especially in connection with Srila Prabhupada’s books.
ii)Those who were in some way disillusioned with materialistic life and were looking for an alternative. This trend is more prominent in the devotees joining in the 1960s and 1970s.
iii)Those who had been initially introduced to one of the temples by members of the family. This typically applied to Indian devotees and was most prominent since the late 1980s, continuing on to the present day.
iv)The campaign to save Bhaktivedanta Manor from closure. The publicity that came with the Manor’s fight for survival brought much attention and sympathy for ISKCON. This was predominantly from the Indian community from the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s.
v)Those devotees who originate from former communist countries. Now granted relative freedom of religion, many young people with spiritual interests not pampered by Western material comforts consider ISKCON a viable option and a means to travel.

It is worth noting that the reasons why many devotees joined or began regularly to become involved differed according to the time period. This makes logical sense: in the movement’s early years many who joined were looking for something within the framework of the counter-culture, or were able to see the movement’s founder, Srila Prabhupada himself. Reading Srila Prabhupada’s books in ISKCON’s very early days, it seems, was not the main reason for joining, for most of the books had not even been printed by then. Soon, however, book distribution became ISKCON’s principle activity, and not unexpectedly, perhaps, many joined the temples as a result.

In terms of those who became involved in the late 1980s, a new trend can be detected, although by then the Indian community was already established at Bhaktivedanta Manor because of preaching efforts, cultural connections, and the campaign in particular. Moving into the ashram was not a consideration for them, as the vast majority seemed content to be active as congregational members and as volunteers. It is also noteworthy that the non-Indian devotees (“Westerners”) have consistently been ultimately joining because of the philosophy contained in Srila Prabhupada’s books.

How has ISKCON Changed?

Naturally what is experienced today by devotees is profoundly different to the experience of those joining before 1977, for now Srila Prabhupada is no longer physically present. Indeed, to my mind, there is no point in trying to study ISKCON, its mood or its purpose without trying to comprehend the founder’s relationship with many of his disciples. After all, the movement was established on the very principle of his leadership. A striking point in the interviews was made by Sri Pati Das: “…the movement (then) felt much more like a family affair…” Srila Prabhupada was the father of that family, and spiritually he still is today. But in the movement’s very early days there was literally a handful of young enthusiastic pioneers.

The next category of devotees, joining from around 1978 onwards, entered a rapidly expanding international movement controlled by people lacking the status and maturity of their single predecessor. Entering into the late 1980s, after the period of the UK leadership of Bhagavan Goswami, another category emerges. Here, everyone seems conscious of the decentralisation of the ashram and of the decline of autocracy that took place alongside disillusionment over leadership. Most consider the decentralisation of the ashram a natural and positive development however.

Since the end of the campaign to save Bhaktivedanta Manor in 1996, newer devotees appear to be increasingly aware of the “splinter groups” stemming from the 1980s, and facing the fact that the movement consists of people possessing many strengths and weaknesses. It is interesting to note, however, that despite the acknowledgement of the decline of unity, almost everyone feels that today’s ISKCON is much more organised and devotees are considerably more mature.

The Future of ISKCON

In the British devotees’ responses to the question about ISKCON’s future, one observes a definite sense of optimism, especially in connection with the prophesised 10, 000 year “Golden Age” mentioned earlier. Devotees generally feel that the movement will continue to grow despite the hurdles it has faced since the demise of Srila Prabhupada. Now that ISKCON is no longer measured in terms of full-time membership only, the substantial participation of the Indian community and the movement’s expansion into the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe has given devotees valid reasons to believe in a vibrant future. Even the lull in “Western preaching” appears to have been going through a revival in the last few years. Yet, there is also a feeling that ISKCON has still much to develop from a social point of view, and trials still lie ahead.

The point made by Krishna Dharma Das, I feel, is of particular importance for the future: “…I think eventually there will be self-sufficient communities of devotees scattered in rural places across the country. These things will take a long time, but they will come.” Today there are over sixty ISKCON rural communities around the world and their development was one of Srila Prabhupada’s major desires. Krishna Dharma Das, it seems, predicts that sooner or later there will be many more. In the future, as the quality of life within large urban areas may well decline due to crime, congestion, pollution and even terrorism, the number of people desiring to move into rural areas is likely to increase. How ISKCON centres relate to the future of society as a whole is of import and an issue I discuss in the next section of the chapter.

I found Sargar’s point highly relevant in terms of the issue of retirement: that as devotees get older, they will spend more time in and around the temples. He stresses “The sannyasis and sadhus of the temples (of India) are most often retired people.” Indeed, old age and retirement are an issue with which ISKCON has yet fully to grapple. Potentially it could be somewhat problematic because the temple residents have so far been mostly young people encouraged to channel their energy into preaching and such like. But will temples consider investing in retirement homes or in something similar? Will the temples in the West therefore lose their youthful vibrancy, or will the more established temples operate more like colleges?

It seems obvious to me that whatever happens, ISKCON will be required to play an increasing role in all aspects of social customs relating to devotees at all stages of life. For example, Vedic samskaras (life-cycle rituals) are already becoming common, all of which have a domestic focus. In the interviews, devotees have identified that as relationships, involving marriage, family life and employment become part of the vast majority of devotees lives, there is every reason to expect that ISKCON will merge closer with the rest of society. In fact, already larger ISKCON temples such as Bhaktivedanta Manor are gradually developing a more corporate structure because of the standardisation within modern charity laws in Britain. This may leave temples or the monastic element less central still, as independently managed projects such as schools and community halls may be opened.

The older generations of Hindus were most often brought up in countries like India, Uganda and Mauritius, so an affinity for temples and willingness to support them have been central. But what of future generations born in the West? Perhaps temples of all denominations should not take for granted that future generations will offer the same support. Therefore, the devotees who were interviewed have identified that the younger generations are paramount to the future. This, of course, is commonsense at some level and management now recognises it. Thus, youth groups, youth programmes and such events abound. ISKCON is building a substantial Indian youth following, many of whom are likely to enter into professional careers. Because of this, I foresee ISKCON will endeavour to play an important role in preserving many aspects of Vedic culture.

I hope it is realised that in the future much indigenous support, including financial help, will be necessary, as well as a lasting and effective strategy, as cultivating the interests of more professional “Westerners” will need to be encouraged. As far as former students of ISKCON’s schools (gurukulas) are concerned, many of whom are now adults, it will be interesting to observe what happens to their relationship with ISKCON in years to come, as they mature and as emotional wounds are hopefully healed in connection with the problems experienced in some of the schools in America and in India. In principle many former gurukula students have accepted the copious apologies personally offered by the GBC for the abuses. What appeared to be extremely helpful was that in May 2005 there was a final legal settlement, which was fair to the immediate claimants, ISKCON temples in the US and former gurukula students worldwide. Now, if ISKCON leadership can convince the first generation of former gurukula members that enough institutional changes have taken place since the 1970s and 1980s, then they could prove a very valuable source for the movement’s growth. In fact, many gurukuli make substantial contributions to public festivals and in particular music, dance and other arts.

The Future of ISKCON and the Broader Society

In 1960 it is doubtful whether many people could have predicted the counter-culture that came only a few years later, what to speak of a movement like the Hare Krishnas. It would be tempting to judge ISKCON’s future simply by exaggerating what has changed since its outset, but there are, of course, other factors to consider. For example, if a less monastic ISKCON gradually blends closer into mainstream society, it may be useful to look at trends in wider society itself in order to assess likely trajectories for the movement.

We live in a world where attitudes in some circles are dramatically changing. For example, the World War II rationing records listed 100, 000 vegetarians in the UK. Today the Vegetarian Society UK estimates that there are three and a half million vegetarians in the UK. Also today words like karma, yoga, mantra, guru, reincarnation etc are increasingly heard, even if they are not used in a precise fashion from the perspective of ISKCON or Hinduism. For Western women to wear bindis on their foreheads, or dress in a sari, in some circles is not only acceptable but highly fashionable. Asia’s economy is rapidly expanding and India’s influence on the world stage is almost certain to increase. As Indian people born in the West also increase their influence, I foresee the day when Eastern culture, arts and philosophy will be ever more regular features in the lives of many people across the Western world. Today, especially in America, many hard-line manufacturing companies are already encouraging their employees to attend courses in meditation, notably forms of Buddhism and hatha (physical) yoga, for which there are thousands of centres run by hundreds of denominations all over the Western world.

I believe that, directly and indirectly, the Hare Krishna Movement has been very influential in helping Western society to become more receptive to Eastern concepts and teachings. I consider the fact that the movement exists at all has some subtle effect on the population, especially on those who have seen and heard chanting parties or who have read Srila Prabhupada’s books. Yet, despite a growing acceptance of various forms of spirituality, superficially ISKCON does not appear to have taken full advantage and meanwhile competition has grown. Today there are even groups who regularly chant the Hare Krishna mantra but do not have any connection with the ISKCON institution.

It is true to say that from an indigenous perspective, the various Buddhist schools appear more socially acceptable as compared with the Hare Krishna movement. But one might ask why. In the words of an indigenous monk from the Amarvari Buddhist Monastery in Hertfordshire, “Buddhists are under no pressure to preach in difficult situations, certainly are less of a public spectacle and we have had ‘better press’ ”. I would also suggest that the fact there is no mention of God in Buddhism and that it can often be easier to practise make for a perfect combination to suit the whims of many modern Westerners. Yet, ISKCON as an institution has a desire to discover new initiatives to develop its public image amongst local indigenous folk. In England and Wales, substantial progress is well underway. I believe the life of a balanced and consequently successful institution or individual needs to run on two parallel tracks: one spiritual and the other material. Only when ISKCON simultaneously runs on both tracks, I would suggest, will it be perceived by most of the indigenous population as practical and as being relevant to their lives. That is why all aspects of cultural activity and the general behaviour of individuals is so important to develop further. After all, it seems true culture involves putting theory into practice and people tend to judge trees from the fruit they bear.

In the future I consider it likely that the number of individuals from Western backgrounds who choose to investigate (so-called) alternative lifestyles will continue to increase, and I sense that many people are feeling weary of modern life. The 21st Century looks set to be dominated by environmental, economic, social, ethical and racial issues on a global scale, what to speak of wars, terrorism, crime, broken families, boredom, loneliness and stress. Some statistics are particularly alarming: for example, the World Health Organisation, from a survey conducted in the year 2000, estimates that depression will be the second leading cause of disease by the year 2020. They also state that in the last forty-five years suicide rates have increased by sixty percent worldwide. It is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged between 15-44. In addition, the American Obesity Association reported that nearly one third (31.1%) of the adult population of San Antonio, Texas, are clinically obese.

If Western society clearly has its shortcomings, people will naturally look for remedies: healthier diets, places to relax and feel at peace, developing self-understanding and gaining a deeper meaning to existence. Bearing all this in mind, precisely how ISKCON specifically will be able to find a wide and receptive audience amongst the indigenous population is something that will only be revealed in time; but I maintain the movement and its teachings will become increasingly relevant as time goes by.