770608 - Letter to Gunagrahi from Tamal Krsna

Vrndavana,

June 8, 1977

From: Tamal Krishna

My dear Gunagrahi Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. I have been instructed by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada to reply your letter dated May 2nd, 1977. In regard to holding cart festivals, Srila Prabhupada said that the Deity which should be taken out should be Lord Jagannatha. So if you hold a Jagannatha festival two weeks after the LA festival that should be very nice. Prabhupada has said that such Ratha-yatra festivals will attract thousands of people. That was also the program of Lord Caitanya, singing, dancing, and prasadam distribution. The festival should be just like all of the traditional Ratha-yatra festivals: a procession of Lord Jagannatha in ratha ending in a big festival with massive prasadam distribution and kirtan. You are absolutely correct that if such a festival is held our public image will automatically become enhanced.

Prabhupada is repeatedly saying that if book distribution is doubled it will automatically give him new life. So this should certainly be your temple’s main activity. It is certainly good news that you have finally found a new temple. Since it is a commercial street it sounds like the proper place for the neon sign which you propose. Srila Prabhupada has always been in favor of such neon signs, as he instructed Bhavananda Maharaja in Mayapur to have a running neon sign blinking Hare Krishna on the top of the temple building, and he instructed a similar idea to the temple president of Toronto. In Los Angeles in 1970 Prabhupada instructed his devotees to have a figure of Lord Caitanya in neon lights dancing one way and then dancing another way. So if you can execute some attractive neon sign, that will be a very appealing feature for advertising your temple. Kindly send a photograph when you have done this and it will be very much appreciated by Srila Prabhupada.

Please have all of your devotees pray very fervently for Srila Prabhupada’s welfare and recovery. Hoping this meets you well.

Your servant,

Tamal Krishna Gosvami

Secretary to Srila Prabhupada