730427 - Letter to Giriraja written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1973

ISKCON
INTERNATIONALE SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
CAMP: 3764 Watseka Blvd.
Los Angeles, Cal. 90034

DATE: 27.4.73

Dear Giriraj Das:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 20.4.73 and have read the contents carefully. In Juhu we have installed the Deity, so we cannot move from that place. That is against Vedic religious conception. We are prepared to pay cash 4 lacs less what we have already paid. Otherwise they must return our money and pay all damages, interest, etc, and we shall leave the temple as it is and shall go away: what can be done. Damages in this connection shall be 5 lacs minimum.
So in this connection you must take serious protection. Mr. Ganatra can help. He has given two medals, one in Bombay and one in Los Angeles, for my work.
The judge should be impressed in such a way that Mrs. Nair must sell to either of us, Chhangganlal or ISKCON. She should not be allowed to cheat so many people, to make contract with so many people first with one person and then with another. The court should be pleaded to stop this kind of cheating of the public. She must agree to sell the property according to the contract.
If she agrees to sell to Chhagganlal, the contract was for 7 lacs; therefore she has to sell for that price, according to the contract. If the court allows that contract to be superceded, we are prepared to pay 14 lacs. But, neither of us should agree to purchase at a price above what is stated in the contract. And, she must sell to either of us. On this line the pleading should go on in the court.
Regarding Grand Pardi land, try your level best to secure at least one acre of land, and Mr. S.K. Thirani Chairman of Kores Ltd. is prepared to contribute 7 lacs for the temple. So in case we have to part with the Juhu land, we shall construct a very nice temple in the city at Grand Pardi, and if we do not lose the land we shall construct two temples in Bombay: one in the city and one in Juhu. So we shall try for both of them.
Regarding the money to be paid to Nair, it is ready. We have already paid 275,000/- Rs. and in India there is 3 lacs in the Book Fund. So out of 14 lacs Rs. 575,00/- is there, and the balance Rs. 825,000/- is ready here. As soon as you send me the favorable decision, this money will be transferred to India without delay. In the meantime you negotiate with Central Bank authorities Gowalia Tank or Head Office. On transferring the above amount they will have to guarantee either to the vendor Mrs. Nair or to the court, assurance of payment, because Mrs. Nair's attorney may plead that we have no money. In that case we can reply that we can supply Bank's guarantee of payment.
Things in Bombay are very much complicated. Tamal Krishna Goswami is already there but he is more or less engaged in preaching work. If you think so, I can send Brahmananda Swami to go to India to help you.

So I am very much anxious to hear the reports of these transactions. So at least once in a week, you send me a report with all the details.

I left some money with Manasvi for depositing in my personal account. Please let me know if it has been done.

You have not written anything about purchasing apartment in Juhu for Rs. 30,000/-. If there is no possibility for purchasing, then immediately deposit the money in the bank.

I know you are sincere devotee and hard working also, so Krishna will help you. Here in Los Angeles they are selling average over 2,000 pieces of literature daily.

I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/bs

cc: Tamal Krishna Goswami, Indore