Venetia Lannon is fundraising
Restore the First 'Hare Krishna' Temple in the West
Looking for Matchless Gifts this giving season?
Here’s your chance to be part of a truly inspiring initiative that honors spiritual history and transforms the birthplace of Krishna Consciousness in the West.
We are a devoted team of disciples and grand-disciples of Srila Prabhupada, dedicated to restoring 26 Second Avenue in New York City — the iconic "Matchless Gifts" storefront temple where the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) began.
Inspired by the vision of HH Radhanath Swami, our team — including Adideva das ACBSP, Vamanadeva das ACBSP, Gaura Kumar das, Yadunath das, Venetia, and Anantacharya dasa — has come together to breathe new life into this historic site.
With your support, we will:
Create an interpretive exhibition showcasing Srila Prabhupada’s early years in New York and his first disciples.
Build a sacred space for the worship of Srila Prabhupada’s deity form.
Capture the vibrant, explosive energy of the late 1960s and bring that spirit of devotion into the present day.
Our Progress So Far:
We’ve completed the restoration of the tin ceiling, painted the iconic Radha-Krishna mural, and recreated the sacred Dias where Srila Prabhupada sat.
We’ve restored the windows, the rugs, and the storefront display to mirror the original 1966 setup.
What’s Left to Do:
Install facilities for Srila Prabhupada’s worship, including sinks and storage.
Build the exhibition spaces that tell the story of this sacred place with audio-visual presentations, historic artifacts, and more.
The culmination of this project will be a grand event, welcoming Srila Prabhupada to reside eternally at his first temple in the West — a place of pilgrimage that will continue to uplift and inspire generations to come.
Join us in this transformative journey to restore Matchless Gifts as a world-class spiritual destination. Your generous contribution will help revive this sacred legacy and ensure its lasting impact.
Let’s bring Matchless Gifts back to life, together!
Funding Request Breakdown:
Millwork, including exhibition space $60-65K
New front door and updated security $3K
Equipment (audio-visual, seating, new
sink/installation, prasadam serve-out
area, furniture, etc.) $3K
Maintenance Fund seeding plus
Prabhupada Murti Installation event $10K
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16 supporters
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