Paramahansa Yogananda in New York City!

Paramahansa Yogananda has a history with New York City from his early days in America. From 1924 to 1935, Yogananda traveled and lectured widely, speaking to capacity audiences in many of the largest auditoriums in America — from New York’s Carnegie Hall to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium. Miss Margaret Woodrow Wilson, eldest daughter of President Woodrow Wilson became interested in his teachings and organized some of his events in New York.

He spent time in New York in 1926 during his lecture series and gave talks at the Pennsylvania Hotel and The Waldorf Astoria. 

So popular was Paramahansaji that the manager of the Hotel Pennsylvania invited him to stay as his guest for six months. Blasé New Yorkers flocked to huge halls as publicity about the famous yogi spread throughout local newspapers. In his New York campaign, Yogananda was greatly helped by a Boston student, Mrs Jessie Southwick, who along with her husband founded Boston's Emerson College. 

Later, he captivated a Carnegie Hall audience. During a free lecture, he led a powerful group chant of 'O God Beautiful'. For one hour and twenty-five minutes, the thousands of voices of the entire audience chanted “O God Beautiful” in a divine atmosphere of joyous praise. Even after he left the stage, the audience sat on, chanting the song. The next day many men and women testified to the God-perception and the healing of body, mind, and soul that had taken place during the sacred chanting, and numerous requests came in to repeat the song at other services.