ISKCON South Africa Annual Report - 2014 | Page 5

2 1 * Intro – ISKCON Founder Acarya #ISKCONinAction In New York, he faced great hardships and began his mission humbly by giving classes on the Bhagavad-Gita in lofts on the Bowery and leading kirtan (traditional devotional chants) in Tompkins Square Park. His message of peace and goodwill resonated with many young people, some of whom came forward to become serious students of the Gaudiya tradition. With the help of these students, Bhaktivedanta Swami rented a small storefront on New York’s Lower East Side to use as a temple. In July of 1966, Bhaktivedanta Swami established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness ( %M- =8