680120 - Letter to Sri Krishna Pandit written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1968

A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
Camp: I.S.K.C.O.N. Radha Krishna Temple
5364 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, Cal. 90019

January 20, 1968

My Dear Sri Krishna Panditji,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated January 13, 1968. I have noted the contents carefully, and I thank you very much for you receiving my three disciples, Achyutananda, Ramanuga, and Harivilas when they were in Delhi.
So far your coming here I think at the present moment it is impossible for the reason that the government of India will not allow anyone to go to foreign countries by spending Indian money. This time when I was coming back to the U.S. I had a great deal of trouble. Though when I went to the U.S. Consul General my visa was granted in 1/2 hour. The gentleman in charge was an Indian and as soon as he saw me he told me, "Swamiji, I'll give you your visa; simply wait here for half an hour." So it was Lord Krishna's Grace. My granting of the P-form was also delayed. My travelling agents had so many difficulties in getting my P-form. The form was sent to the chief controller in Bombay and returned after a month after several telephone conversations from Calcutta to Bombay. Then he sent instructions that if I had money from America I could go. So with great difficulty I had to convince him.
So even if I say that you are required for my service, which of course, will be a kind of luxury for me, and even if I ask Seth Jaydayl to pay for your passage, the exchange controller will not allow you to come. That is a fact. Now the only possibility of your coming is there if you can influence Dr. Zakir Hussain, convincing him that we are spreading a great cultural organization in the foreign countries, and he should allow us to take parties from India for SAMKIRTAN in other countries. If you think you can see Dr. Zakir Hussain with our propaganda papers, and if you think he will allow this cultural propagation, then there is a chance for your coming here.
India government has cultural dept. and it is learned that Indira Gandhi is interested in sending learned scholars to spread Indian culture in foreign countries. I am already doing this. It is accepted by the highest authority here in U.S., namely the Ambassador of India. If you can convince Dr. Zakir Hussain, he also knows me well. You can refer my name when you meet him, that I am the same man who presented him English Srimad Bhagwatam, and he highly appreciated it. At that time, I requested him to give me facilities to go to foreign countries, and he promised to do his best. Now, somehow or other, I am here and ask him [handwritten] if he will allow SAMKIRTAN party to come [handwritten] here.
I have got many friends in India who have got money to pay the expenses for coming. So if your acquaintance with Dr. Zakir Hussain can help you in getting a SAMKIRTAN party to come [handwritten] here, then two strokes will be accomplished at once. I shall be glad to know the result of your attempt. There is government cultural dept. for this; it is simply a matter of convincing him. On hearing from you I shall be glad to give further instructions in the connection.
Hope you are well.

Your ever well-wisher,

Hari Bhaktanudas Sri Krishna
Pandit
4092 Kuncha Dilwali Singh
Ajmary Gate, Delhi 16
INDIA

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ISKCON Radha Kirshna Temple
5364 W. Plan Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90019
U.S.A.