Fifty years ago, a 70-year-old monk travelled from India to the United States in the hope of starting a spiritual revolution.

His name was Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and on July 13, 1966 he incorporated the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), formalising what is widely known as the Hare Krishna movement.

ISKCON now runs 602 temples, 54 schools and 65 farming communities across the globe.

This month, the New Govardhana Hare Krishna community at Eungella, near Murwillumbah in northern New South Wales, hosted about 1,000 visitors to mark the 50th anniversary of ISKCON.

New Govardhana president Ajita Dasa said the milestone proved the Hare Krishnas belonged to a serious religious institution.

«It means the establishment has gone through what most religious organisations have gone through,» he said.