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Ritvik System
Srila Prabhupāda
Supreme Court Verdict
07 Aug 2026
The May 28th, 1977 GBC Meeting: Re-Examining the Evidence for the Ritvik System of Initiation
By May of 1977, Srila Prabhupada’s health suddenly deteriorated considerably. Devotees decided to move him to Rishikesh, currently in the state of Uttarakhand in India, hoping that the change of environment would aid his recovery. The devotees reasoned that on the banks of the Ganga, the salubrious weather of Rishikesh could prove beneficial for Srila Prabhupada’s health. Accordingly on May 7th, 1977, devotees took Srila Prabhupada to Rishikesh by a night train.