Vedanta Society of New York

The Vedanta Society of New York (VSNY) is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. In fact, VSNY is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was an historical event for the Order, for the seed of the worldwide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago.

Vivekananda was the first teacher of Vedanta to come to the West, who drew wide acclaim by his historic addresses at the World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893. After the conclusion of the Parliament, a group of American students interested to learn more about Vedanta gathered about the Swami, and the first Vedanta Center in the West started in New York City.

It was an humble beginning in two rented rooms at 54 West 33rd Street in Manhattan.

After moving to different rented houses in Manhattan several times between 1894 and 1921, VSNY finally settled down at its current and permanent address (34 West 71st Street) on the west side of Central park, a few blocks south of the Museum of Natural History.

For over a century now, the society has been serving the spiritual seekers of all faiths, age, nationality, cast,and creed by offering Sunday services and weekly classes on Vedanta as propounded in the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna.