Krishna Prasadam: The Transformative Power of Sanctified Food in the Krishna Consciousness Movement

In the Hare Krishna movement ritually sanctified food (known as prasadam) lies at the heart of key religious and ceremonial activity, and has progressively become the main rallying point for the movement’s preaching strategy or mission in the West. This article examines the experiential and doctrinal import of prasadam in the lives of adherents of the Krishna Consciousness movement and discusses its role as a preaching or proselytizing tool. As a means by which the movement today seeks to recruit new followers into its fold, the article looks at the movement’s programme of taking sanctified food to the public, with a particular focus on Hare Krishna Food for All missionary activity in London.