Conversation in Car – December 5, 1971, Delhi

711205R2-DELHI [04:39 Minutes]

It is very conspicuous

[in car]

Gurudasa: The old gate?

Prabhupada: Yes. This is a gate.

[break] …petroleum, and old car also.

[break] …headquarters for officers. [break]

Gurudasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: Secretaries.

Gurudasa: Ministers and…

Prabhupada: Secretaries.

Tamala Krsna: Prabhupada, that is the Prime Minister's house, isn't it, Gurudasa?

Gurudasa: No. Home Minister.

Tamala Krsna: Hunger strike.

Prabhupada: [indistinct]

Gurudasa: Prime Minister is not there.

Tamala Krsna: Oh, whoever it is, they're having a hunger strike. His… [break]

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

Prabhupada: Oh.

Gurudasa: Minister of Defense. [break] Central Secretary.

Tamala Krsna: Very impressive.

Prabhupada: That is Parliament.

Gurudasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: And in front, Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Gurudasa: Yes.

Prabhupada: That is India Gate.

Tamala Krsna: Very impressive, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: This is British design.

Tamala Krsna: The British built these buildings.

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

Prabhupada: Oh.

Gurudasa: Indians could never build such buildings.

Prabhupada: Their style is different. Just like temples.

Tamala Krsna: Yes.

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

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupada: This style is European style.

Gurudasa: Grecian.

Prabhupada: Grecian.

Gurudasa: Greece.

Tamala Krsna: Oh. Greece, Grecian.

Prabhupada: Hah. European culture means Greece and Roman.

Gurudasa: It's called Doric.

Prabhupada: Hah?

Gurudasa: Doric.

Prabhupada: Doric? Yes.

Gurudasa: Srila Prabhupada, should I try and arrange a meeting with the President?

Prabhupada: [indistinct] simply waste of time [break] We have got already [indistinct]. Here's a Sikh temple.

Devotee: Gurudvara.

Tamala Krsna: Very nice.

Gurudasa: But inside there's nothing. Inside there's [indistinct].

Prabhupada: Nobody goes inside.

Gurudasa: Oh. [laughs]

Prabhupada: Everyone is satisfied by [indistinct]. [laughter]

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

Prabhupada: It is very conspicuous.

Tamala Krsna: Looks like marble.

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

Tamala Krsna: White cement?

Prabhupada: White cement, maybe. White cement.

Tamala Krsna: People will know we are pretending.

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

Gurudasa: Nara-Narayana said he could reproduce that sandstone, red sandstone, in cement also.

Prabhupada: Sandstone?

Gurudasa: Like that palace in Govardhana?

Prabhupada: Aha.

Tamala Krsna: Like the government buildings. That's sandstone.

Prabhupada: Sandstone, yes.

Devotee: That's sandstone.

Prabhupada: [indistinct] [laughs] This is the fashion, to take the wife to the backside, and as soon as the sari is entangled in the spokes… Dangerous.

Gurudasa: [laughs] [end]