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Our Activities

The Hungarian Society for Krishna Consciousness is part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and follows its prescribed religious and charitable activities. These activities are based on major ethical principles described in the scriptures (e.g. Bhagavad-gītā and Srīmad-Bhāgavatam). Following these principles will create a more peaceful society by bringing about a humanitarian and nonviolent culture based on the ancient Indian Vedic scriptures.


Religious practices


Our community practices Krishna Consciousness according to the tradition of Bengali (Gaudiya) Vaishnavism. We have two major temple/cultural centres and several smaller preaching centres to serve interested people and devotees in Hungary. There are facilities for daily religious observances: mantra meditation, congregation chanting of the Holy Names, prayer, study of scriptures, etc. We also hold religious festivals and major events in these centres. In our Budapest temple and in Krishna Valley there is ongoing altar worship performed by devotees. Prescribed paraphernalia is offered to the form of Lord Krishna on the altar according to religious rituals by the appointed priests. There are also facilities for purifying rites like traditional Vedic weddings, name giving ceremonies, etc.


Preserving ancient Vedic culture

Major festivals:

  • The Appearance Day of Lord Nityānanda 
  • The Appearance Day Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 
  • The Appearance Day of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva 
  • Harvest Festival in Krishna Valley
  • A Ratha Yātrā, Chariot Festival
  • Krishna Valley Fair
  • The Appearance Day of Lord Balarāma 
  • Janmāṣṭamī, Lord Krishna’s birthday
  • Govardhana-pūjā, Festival of Sweets
  • Dīpāvalī, Return of Lord Rama, Hindu New Year, Festival of Lights
  • Gītā-jayantī, Appearance of Bhagavad-gītā


Spiritual Education


In Hare Krishna centres, especially at our Budapest temple, we provide regular education based on the Vedic scriptures. Our educational program focuses on both spiritual and physical health. Bhaktivedanta College next door to our Budapest temple offers accredited Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in yoga and theology. And in the temple one can learn about the ethics and practice of Krishna Consciousness in the course of philosophical lectures, open weekends and live-in educational programs. For the children of Krishna devotee families we provide Vedic education in a government accredited primary school (gurukula). In our Sri Prahlada Primary School our youngest members can learn the syllabus of the National Curriculum according to Vaishnava values. 

Are you looking for books? Write to us! [email protected]

Bhaktivedanta Collage

In 1998, the Hungarian Society for Krishna Consciousness established the Bhaktivedanta Foundation Institute for Theology and Culture in Budapest. The Foundation aims to share humanity’s most ancient philosophy and culture with a wide audience and to provide training and further education to its professionals. In 2001, the Foundation established the Bhaktivedanta Theological College which was given government accreditation in 2004.

Bhaktivedanta College is the first higher educational institution in Hungary that represents the major world religion of Hinduism. Its curriculum is based on the teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who travelled the world to spread Vaishnava theological wisdom outside India, and whose name the College is proud to honour.

More information


Book Distribution – Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

Our spiritual education programmes are based on the scriptures and philosophical treatises of Krishna Consciousness, the works of Srila Prabhupada. Our devotees study these books and also make them widely available to the public through preaching and book distribution programmes. Book distribution is one of the foundational principles of Krishna conscious practice. Our philosophical and spiritual books contain Lord Krishna’s words, revealed knowledge and sages’ and teachers’ analytical commentaries explaining this knowledge.

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Food Distribution

Food Distribution - Food for Life



Food for Life in Hungary

Recent years have seen an increase in the need to look after those struggling to get by day to day. Today, about 10% of this work is carried out by NGOs. In 1999, the Hungarian Society for Krishna Consciousness established the Food for Life non-profit foundation to make organisation more efficient and applying for grants more simple. The Foundation is striving to alleviate physical and spiritual suffering by distributing nourishing vegetarian meals.

By distributing free vegetarian food, Food for Life’s mission seeks to restore balance in the world’s food supply. Due to the sincere efforts of Krishna devotees, Food for Life has grown to become the most prominent vegetarian food distribution programme.

Following ancient Indian Vedic scriptures, Krishna devotees only eat food that was prepared using vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy products and nuts and that was offered to God before consuming it. Such sanctified meals purify the heart and soul and don’t just satisfy bodily needs but also help to re-establish our original loving relationship with God and to attain inner peace.

Our Mission

Food for Life is ISKCON’s (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) humanitarian organisation striving to serve those in need by distributing food and providing relief for mental health issues. Selling spiritual books, chanting processions on the street and Sunday programmes uplift society spiritually, while our food distribution mission alleviates the daily struggles of getting the next meal, and by food distribution we also increase spiritual consciousness. Our belief is that by providing meals to the needy, we help them sort their life out whereas hunger and starvation numbs any thoughts on how to live a better life. 

You can find more information on our webpage:  www.karitativ.hu

You can donate to Food for Life at: www.eteltazeletert.hu

Historical background and international activities

In 1972, Srila Prabhupada, the founding teacher of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, asked his followers to start the Food for Life programme after the following incident: he looked out of his window at the Calcutta Temple and at the back of the temple he saw little children fighting for scraps of food left from the temple lunch. According to Hinduism, compassion should be a guiding principle of human life and thus Srila Prabhupada asked his disciples to work towards eliminating all hunger within 10 miles of any Krishna temple.

In the above spirit, Food for Life volunteers have distributed hundreds of millions of hot meals and hundreds of thousands tons of staple foods in sixty countries around the world in the last five decades. Their work to help those in need often takes them to areas ravaged by war or natural disasters. They helped thousands of desperate people in Sarajevo, Kosovo, in Grozny during the Chechen war, after the tsunami in Sri Lanka and the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan. Hungarian volunteers travelled to Sri Lanka, Haiti and flood-hit Bosnia and they also provided assistance during floods in Felsőzsolca and the mud spill in Devecser. They fed affected people as well as the emergency services personnel helping them.

There are 211 Food for Life programmes in 150 cities around the world. The Krishna devotees’ Food for Life provides the needy with 2 million nourishing vegetarian meals daily including an Indian school meals programme.

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Public food distribution:

Since 2001, the Hungarian Food for Life has increased its food distribution from hundreds of meals daily to thousands. Today, we distribute 500.000 meals annually. We provide hot meals, as well as bread, something to drink, seasonal fresh fruit and some dairy products. Some of those we help are low income pensioners or large families but our help also reaches young people on subsistence wages, psychiatric patients, those temporarily unemployed and homeless people. Our program is essential for the overall support of families and pensioners, as well as those with mental health issues.

Helping families

In collaboration with organisations looking after families and children in Budapest’s III., VII. and XIV. Districts, we distributed nearly 1000 hot meals as well as bread, fruit and yogurt daily. In Eger, Marcali and Debrecen we run similar programmes. Those in need are assigned our services by welfare institutions. About 80% of the people we help struggle due to financial difficulties and unemployment and if they don’t have to spend on food, they can start repaying their debts, bills and other expenses. Our services thus prevent homelessness.

Feeding Children

It is in our common interest that the younger generations grow up happy and healthy both physically and mentally. That is why our Foundation regularly channels the donations it receives to children’s homes and families’ temporary accommodations thus supporting the mental and physical development of the most vulnerable children. Over the years we have seen a steady increase in the number of children’s homes and other institutions we help with hot meals, sweets, yoghurt and fruit. Our award-winning “Like a mouthful of bread” (Mint egy falat kenyér) program is achieving great success in reaching children outside the capital. During the summer holidays, we feed children in summer camps enriching their daily diet with fruit and other healthy options. 

Food distribution at Christmas and other holidays

Since 1989, we have been organising a three-day Christmas food distribution program for 1200-1500 people in Budapest. We provide hot meals to those who might find themselves alone on Christmas or don’t have a place to celebrate Christmas. We distribute hot meals and bread, fruit, quality staple foods and candies. In the countryside, we also distribute warm clothes, and toys and books if possible. Around Christmas, our programs serve 15 towns all over Hungary. In recent years, we also started organising major distribution programs at Easter, on World Food Day and Children’s Day in Budapest.

Cooking for charitable institutions

Besides distributing food on the streets, for the past several years, we have been cooking and transporting meals to various institutions. In Budapest, we work with other aid organisations to provide hundreds of meals, food packages and other products daily for their homeless day centres and convalescent homes. Most of our partners are affiliated with the Budapest Methodological Centre of Social Policy and Its Institutions.

Besides the capital, we serve 14 other towns with regular hot meals and food packages as part of our “Like a Mouthful of Bread” program.

Events, summer festivals

We often distribute meals at events and festivals. On such occasions, it is not the vulnerable we provide meals for but the participants of the event, so we prepare vegetarian Indian specialities giving people a chance for a taste of Krishna devotees’ everyday life.





Being a spiritual organisation, we try to find spiritual solutions to the world’s problems. As far as hunger and starvation are concerned, we are convinced that when people recognise the spiritual equality of all living beings and learn to share the world’s resources, there will be no more hunger and strife. Please, be a part of this solution!

Bank account no: MBH 10300002-10631840-49020019

If you like our programmes and wish to support us, the following may be some options:

1 week's meals for 1 person: 2.500 Ft
1 meal for 50 people: 25.000 Ft
1 meal for 100 people: 50.000 Ft
Total monthly bills (gas, electricity, etc) for the kitchen: 650.000 Ft
Total expense for 1 week food distribution 3.000.000 Ft

You can, of course, support our activities with any amount.

Contact us:

Az Ételt az Életért Közhasznú Alapítvány (Foof for Life non-profit organisation):

Address: 1039 Budapest, Lehel u. 15-17.
Phone: (30) 678-3217 és (30) 872-1995
Webpage: www.karitativ.hu
Webpage: www.eteltazeletert.hu
E-mail: [email protected]
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Tax number: 18095575-1-41
Bank account no: MBH Bank Nyrt. 10300002-10631840-49020019
IBAN: HU55 1030 0002 1063 1840 4902 0019

Registration number: 7439.
Court registration number: 11. Pk. 60163/1999
Date of registration: 1999. 03. 09.
Date of registration as a non-profit organisation: 1999. 03. 09.


Cow Protection

In 1994, we established a Cow Protection Centre in Krishna Valley. According to Vedic teachings, spiritual culture cannot be maintained without the protection of cows, so bulls and oxen are respected as fathers and cows are protected and respected like mothers. Following the ancient Vedic culture, we regard milk to be the most important foodstuff and ox power forms the basis of agriculture. At present, our Cow Protection Centre cares for 60 animals and is the largest nonviolent dairy farm in Europe. Our cows provide 25.000 litres of milk every year, while the oxen work 5000 hours helping logging, collecting fodder, ploughing and transporting goods and people. Our Ecofarm is unique in Hungary in training oxen, the work gives the animals daily engagement and a resultant long and healthy life. Our Cow Protection Centre also aims to learn and preserve traditional Hungarian oxen-based farming practices.
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Protecting the environment

Protecting the environment is natural for Krishna devotees since it is inseparable from nonviolence, the principle of ahimsā, or causing the least amount of harm. We are vegetarians, we hold rubbish picking and tree planting events, we protect our rivers - we try to set an example and cause a paradigm shift. We try to live an environmentally friendly life and also encourage others to do the same. According to our philosophy, a simple lifestyle is beneficial for practising spiritual values and loving God includes loving His created world and protecting Mother Earth. Sharing information, publications, vegetarian cooking classes, eco-friendly household solutions and propagating a natural life-style are some of the practical things we do to protect our environment. Your donation can support us in maintaining or increasing these activities.




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CONTACT

Magyarországi Krisna-tudatú Hívők Közössége 1039 Budapest, Lehel utca 15-17. [email protected]

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Hare Krishna Hare Krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
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