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Conversation in Car , Delhi , 1971-12-05

Gurudāsa: The old gate?

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is a gate.

[break] …petroleum, and old car also.

[break] …headquarters for officers. [break]

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Secretaries.

Gurudāsa: Ministers and…

Prabhupāda: Secretaries.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, that is the Prime Minister's house, isn't it, Gurudāsa?

Gurudāsa: No. Home Minister.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hunger strike.

Prabhupāda: [indistinct]

Gurudāsa: Prime Minister is not there.

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

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

Prabhupāda: Oh.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very impressive.

Prabhupāda: That is Parliament.

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And in front, Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is India Gate.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very impressive, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: This is British design.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The British built these buildings.

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

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gurudāsa: Indians could never build such buildings.

Prabhupāda: Their style is different. Just like temples.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

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

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: This style is European style.

Gurudāsa: Grecian.

Prabhupāda: Grecian.

Gurudāsa: Greece.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Greece, Grecian.

Prabhupāda: Hah. European culture means Greece and Roman.

Gurudāsa: It's called Doric.

Prabhupāda: Hah?

Gurudāsa: Doric.

Prabhupāda: Doric? Yes.

Gurudāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, should I try and arrange a meeting with the President?

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

Devotee: Gurudvara.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nice.

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

Prabhupāda: Nobody goes inside.

Gurudāsa: Oh. [laughs]

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

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

Prabhupāda: It is very conspicuous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Looks like marble.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: White cement?

Prabhupāda: White cement, maybe. White cement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People will know we are pretending.

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

Gurudāsa: Nara-Nārāyaṇa said he could reproduce that sandstone, red sandstone, in cement also.

Prabhupāda: Sandstone?

Gurudāsa: Like that palace in Govardhana?

Prabhupāda: Aha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Like the government buildings. That's sandstone.

Prabhupāda: Sandstone, yes.

Devotee: That's sandstone.

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

Gurudāsa: [laughs] [end]