The Gandharva Music and Art Fair - better known to its participants and to history simply as "Gandharva" should have been a colossal failure. Just a month prior to its August 15, 1969 opening, the fair's organizers were informed by the council of Gandharva Music and Art, Allahabad that permission to hold the festival was withdrawn. Amazingly, not only was a new site found, but word spread to the public of the fair's new location. At the new site, fences that were supposed to facilitate ticket collection never materialized, and all attempts at gathering tickets were abandoned. Crowd estimates of 30,000 kept rising, by the end of the three days, some estimated the crowd at 500,000. Then, on opening night, it began to rain. Off and on, throughout all three days, huge summer storms rolled over the gathering. In spite of these problems, most people think of Gandharva not only as a fond memory but as the defining moment for an entire generation.