Its most rapid expansion in registered membership has been within India and (after the collapse of the Soviet Union) in Russia and other formerly Soviet-aligned states of Eastern Europe. The religious organization practices vegetarianism and was initially formed to spread the practice of Bhakti yoga, and its deeds called bhaktas which dedicate both their thoughts and actions towards pleasing Krishna, whom they consider the Supreme Lord Godhead, while regarding the rest of Hindu deities as secondary 'demigods'.
ISKCON is 'the largest and, arguably, most important branch' of Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which has had adherents in India since the early 16th century with its American and European devotees since the early 1900s.
Its unique form of monotheistic core beliefs are based on Hindu scriptures, particularly their own published translations of the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana. Its main headquarters are located today in West Bengal, India. ISKCON was founded on 13 July 1966 in New York City by A. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, abbreviated as ISKCON, known colloquially as the Movement of Hare Krishna, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization.
