Namaste DA,

You already have views of learned people here. However, touching feet is a common practice among Hindus. You are just asking for blessings of the elders / Swamis / Priests / Guru etc.

Now, touching feet is a ritual of seeking blessings but whether it can be done for only selected few or to anyone we revere ? The practice among Hindus varies from one region to the other. In Varanasi, touching feet is quite common for seeking blessings of any elder or Swami or Priest etc. but it is not so in many other places. So, there is no right or wrong in this practice. However, my opinion is that this practice should be only for those we really love and revere e.g. our close relatives (parents, elder brother/sister, uncle, aunt etc.), family priests, Guru, Acharyas, any person who we love and have special bonding with.

What you saw in ISKCON only reflects their culture and we should respect culture of a sect / place. But it would be wrong to say that you did anything wrong by touching his feet or it is not a Hindu custom to touch feet of such people. You did the right thing from your viewpoint but he didn't accept it from his viewpoint.

OM