Bala Gopal Dasi : In 1971, Prabhupada had a pandal in Delhi, the first pandal, and these Deities were used for the pandal. Then afterwards They were just sitting. Then there was discussion that we would eventually get a new temple because Bury Place was becoming too small. So then Prabhupada mentioned that these Deities were available. So immediately Dhananjaya called up India and started the action of, “Can we get these Deities over here?” So it was already set in motion, and then Srila Prabhupada asked, “Well, where is the money?“
Because one man had volunteered to pay for the Deities to be sent over but he hadn’t handed the money in hand, and Prabhupada said no. He said, “Don’t do anything until you get the cash in hand,” because we had no extra money at all. So when Dhananjaya called again to try to stop, “Wait until we get the money,” the Deities somehow, they had cleared Them through customs and They were already on Their way. So Prabhupada made the comment, he said, “Well, if Krishna wants to come, who can stop Him?“
So then Radha Gokulananda arrived, and They sat up in the pujari room in Bury Place for about a year before They came out here. We hadn’t had the Manor, we didn’t even know where we were going to have a temple at that point. Then Bhaktivedanta Manor was found, and so Radha Gokulananda were always destined to come to the new temple wherever it was going to be in England. They came with seven outfits. It was meant to be installed on Janmastami, and we did it on Janmastami.
Now he’s offering. This is the first offering to the Deities, and Prabhupada is personally offering the Deities Their bhoga. Prabhupada is very involved in the whole installation. He comes down into the temple room, they’re about to offer him a garland, he doesn’t accept the garland because there’s none on the Deities. Then he personally supervises the bathing of the Deities. Then he personally supervises the men that carry the Deities and put Them up. Then Malati dressed Krishna, I dressed Radharani. Then he came in, personally he’s hurrying us up to dress the Deities quickly.
Reference: Following Srila Prabhupada – Yadubara Dasa
courtesy:- https://www.srilaprabhupadalila.org/read/SPFPP_0209
