720823 - Letter to Giriraja written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1972

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Founder-Acharya:
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
CENTER: ISKCON: Los Angeles

DATE .........August..23,..1972.....19.....

My dear Giriraj,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your long letter, and immediately I have sent one telegram as desired by you, reading as follows:
TAKE BANK MORTGAGE PAY OFF NAIR NARANARAYAN IMMEDIATELY RETURN TO USA MUST OBSERVE FAST JANMASTAMI TILL 12 AM
BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI
In the conveyance deed, there is a clause on page 7 that states that the purchaser shall not be required to pay either of the last two installments, namely E and D, aforesaid, until the suit filed against the vendor in the Bombay High Court (suit #94 of 1968, Messrs. Chhaganlal and Co. vs Mrs. Chandrabai A.B. Nair) is disposed of and the amount, if any, in the said suit is paid to the plaintiff. Therefore, out of 14 lakhs, we have paid 2 lakhs. The bank may pay further 8 lakhs, and 4 lakhs should be held up until the above-mentioned suit #94 of 1968 is disposed of. In this way arrangements should be made. Regarding construction material, I see that 64 lakhs will be spent for the whole construction, and you have to pay 5% on the amount to the architect. I think it will be a huge amount. In Delhi, one architect asked for 2%, but I thought that somebody may contribute his service for this great cause. If not, the charges may not go more that 2-2 1/2%. In this connection, you may consult Gurudas. I think that 5% is too much. Anyway, you are on the spot, you can do the needful by consulting amongst yourselves. Formerly it was understood that Mr. Nair would not charge interest. Anyway, if you have to charge interest, better go to the bank. There is a proposal that somebody wants to donate seven acres of land at Ahmedabad, 17 miles from the town. This proposal was sent by Paramahansa das Brahmacari, and I have already replied his letter. So if it is convenient, some of you can go see the land, and if it is favorable, we shall go and develop an ashram there. There was a reference in the letter of Mahamsa that the President Giri can open the foundation stone ceremony of our temple, as he is a friend of Mr. Somani. I have already replied his letter, and you can see it. If it is a fact, I have suggested that the ceremony can take place on Wednesday, September 20. That day is auspicious on account of the appearance of Vamanadev and Srila Jiva Goswami. If it is a fact, then we can invite many responsible persons- the Prime Minister, Governors, many secretaries on that occasion. Then it will be possible to place our philosophy before a very respectable assembly and it will be easier to raise funds also. People have not yet understood our philosophy, how glorious it is, and how this Indian culture could be accepted throughout the whole world. The ritual foundation stone ceremony was already observed and you have the marble tablet. I think President Giri's name also will be included in that tablet and it will be set up on the corner foundation of the temple.

Hoping this will meet you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Sriman Giriraj das Brahmacari
ISKCON Bombay

ACBS/nkd