Conversation in Car
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, that is the Prime Minister's house, isn't it, Gurudāsa?
[in car]
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]