760607 - Letter to Abhirama written from Los Angeles

Letters by Date, 1976

3764 Watseka Avenue,Los Angeles,
California 90034, U.S.A.

June 7, 1976

Abhirama das Adhikari,
Iskcon,
3 Albert Road
Calcutta-17, India

My dear Abhirama das,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 29, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care.

Our plan is to be presented in the following way: This is for beautifying the park. Our temple is not sectarian. Just as any beautiful spot is attractive to the public, so all members of the public will be invited to come. We shall decorate the park very nicely, and it will be open for all nations, and all sects. Take it from the beauty side. What is the harm? Suppose that a statue is in a museum, does it mean sectarian? It will glorify Vedic culture, so why the corporation will not agree with our plan? (Of course, the Deity must be there). It will be open to the public and we will invite tourists from all over the world. It shall be an artistic exhibition. And we shall spend any amount of money to make it an attractive spot for world tourists.

So try for the sanctioning by all means. Somehow or other, by flattery or whatever, get it sanctioned. It is very important. Convincetthem it is beautifying the park. And we shall please the corporation, the municipality, in every respect. It is a cultural presentation, not a temple, and it will attract many visitors. Convince them on this point.

Also, what about the corner house, on the corner of the park? You can make inquiries concerning this as well.

Concerning Puri, whether there is potency of vegetation. That we have to examine. If there is no such potency, then we are not interested. And what about transportation across the hot sand? In the summer season, it will be too hot. So, the question is whether in that sand there is possibility of growing trees and plants, whether the sand is fit for that. Otherwise, it is desert and will not be suitable.

I hope that this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/pks