Srila Prabhupada began the

Sankirtana Movement in the West

Srila Prabhupada in Congregational Chanting at Hippie Hill, New York, 1966

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted:

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

"In all the villages and towns all over the world, everywhere, this sankirtana movement will be preached."
This is His prediction.

So by the grace of Lord Caitanya, this movement is already introduced in the Western countries, beginning from New York. Our sankirtana movement was first introduced in New York in 1966. At that time I came and began to chant this Hare Krishna mantra in Tompkins Square. I was chanting there for three hours with a small mridanga (drum) and these American boys assembled and gradually joined, and so it is increasing. First of all, it was started in New York storefront, 26 Second Avenue, then we started our branches in San Fransisco, Montreal, Boston, Los Angeles, Buffalo, Columbus. We now (in 1970) have twenty-four branches, including one in London and one in Hamburg. In London, they are all American boys and girls, and they are preaching. They are not sannyasis, nor are they Vedantists, nor Hindus, nor Indians, but they have taken this movement very seriously. Even in the London Times, there was an article headlined, "Krishna Chant Startles London." So we have many in the movement now.

- Srila Prabhupada in The Science of Self-Realization