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GANGES, MICHIGAN, JULY 7, 2001: One hundred and eight years after Swami Vivekananda came to Chicago and introduced Hinduism to the West, the monks of his order gathered in the small town of Ganges, Michigan, to usher in the new millennium. “Vedanta in the Third Millennium,” a three-day conference, attracted nearly 800 followers from around the U.S. It was among the largest assemblies of senior monks of the Ramakrishna order in the history of the West. All told, 16 swamis attended, and the event attracted considerable media attention. The conference began June 22 at the 110-acre Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat Center. Throughout the three-day conference, the devotees kept a well regulated schedule, including early morning meditation and worship. Lectures were presented by each of the swamis sequentially, followed by meals and free time which enabled many to meet the swamis, individually. Over the course of the conference, the monks discussed Vedanta’s role in society. However, personal spiritual instruction and practical guidance was the main emphasis.

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