This entertaining and sensitive book deepens our knowledge by tracing the
paths of those WEstern Hare Krishnas who eventually travelled to or lived
in India. Charls Brooks describes in full detail the work of the 'reverse
missionaries' in the town of Vrindaban--which, since it is traditionally
considered to be identical with Krishna's spiritual world, is one of the
holiest places in India and the site of some of its most engaging rituals.
Have the Western Hare Krishnas really become part of Indian culture? Can it
be that Indians accept these foreigners as essentially Hindu and even
brahman? Brooks answers in a way that radically challenges our accepted
images of Indian social dynamics. Analyzing the remarkable success of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness and their temple complex in
Vrindaban, Brooks describes the intricate social, economic and religious
relationships between Westerners and Indians. He demonstrates that social
rank in the town is based not only on caste but also on religious
competence: many Indians of Vrindaban believe, in Bhakti-vedanta's words,
that "Krishna is for all."
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