711205 - Conversation in Car - Delhi

Conversations by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

711205R2-DELHI - December 05, 1971 - 04:38 Minutes

(in car)

Gurudāsa: The old gate?

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is a gate.

(break) . . . petroleum, and old car also.

(break) . . . headquarters for officers. (break)

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Secretaries.

Gurudāsa: Ministers and . . .

Prabhupāda: Secretaries.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, that is the Prime Minister's house, isn't it, Gurudāsa?

Gurudāsa: No. Home Minister.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hunger strike.

Prabhupāda: . . . (indistinct)

Gurudāsa: Prime Minister is not there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, whoever it is, they're having a hunger strike. His . . . (break)

Gurudāsa: Here's Jagjivan Ram's house over here. The Minister of Defense lives here.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gurudāsa: Minister of Defense. (break) Central Secretary.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very impressive.

Prabhupāda: That is Parliament.

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And in front, Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is India Gate.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very impressive, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: This is British design.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The British built these buildings.

Gurudāsa: Except that building. That building, J. M. Jolly built. That building, Mr. Jolly from Bombay built that. Adyar Bhavan.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gurudāsa: Indians could never build such buildings.

Prabhupāda: Their style is different. Just like temples.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Gorgeous temples. That's a different style.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: This style is European style.

Gurudāsa: Grecian.

Prabhupāda: Grecian.

Gurudāsa: Greece.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Greece, Grecian.

Prabhupāda: Hah. European culture means Greece and Roman.

Gurudāsa: It's called Doric.

Prabhupāda: Hah?

Gurudāsa: Doric.

Prabhupāda: Doric? Yes.

Gurudāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, should I try and arrange a meeting with the President?

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . simply waste of time (break) We have got already . . . (indistinct) . . . here's a Sikh temple.

Devotee: Gurudvara.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nice.

Gurudāsa: But inside there's nothing. Inside there's . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Nobody goes inside.

Gurudāsa: Oh. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Everyone is satisfied by . . . (indistinct) . . . (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why can't we get land like that and build something like that in Delhi?

Prabhupāda: It is very conspicuous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Looks like marble.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That you can do with white cement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: White cement?

Prabhupāda: White cement, maybe. White cement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People will know we are pretending.

Prabhupāda: No, white cement is used now. You plaster with white cement, it becomes almost like marble.

Gurudāsa: Nara-Nārāyaṇa said he could reproduce that sandstone, red sandstone, in cement also.

Prabhupāda: Sandstone?

Gurudāsa: Like that palace in Govardhana?

Prabhupāda: Aha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Like the government buildings. That's sandstone.

Prabhupāda: Sandstone, yes.

Devotee: That's sandstone.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . (laughs) This is the fashion, to take the wife to the backside, and as soon as the sārī is entangled in the spokes . . . dangerous.

Gurudāsa: (laughs) (break) (end)