Tamala Krishna: Thinking about Jagannatha Puri, Prabhupada called for Gaura-Govinda Swami and asked what had happened at Ratha-yatra. Gaura-Govinda reported that there were a number of discrepancies. The
pandas had untimely changed the body of Lord Jagannatha and had previously offended the Raja of Puri, so that he didn’t come to sweep, as was the custom. Though the cart was not to be pulled after sunset, it had been, with the consequence that it smashed into a shop. Four of the cart’s wheels having been broken, two days were required to make repairs, so that the festival was held on the third day when most of the people had already gone. Also, the proper ceremony was not observed in the choosing of a tree from which to carve the new bodies of the Deities. Ours was the only
sankirtana party performing in front of the cart for eight hours.
Prabhupada was very dismayed to receive this news. He said, “The whole sanctity is lost. Ahhh.” He made a painful sound and was crying to think of this, the holy dhama being desecrated. “Kali-yuga.”
Gaura-Govinda said many pandas had developed demoniac qualities and would not let the devotees enter. Prabhupada explained, “They are depressing to extract money. The management is in the hands of the government?”
I asked Srila Prabhupada whether Lord Jagannatha even resided there anymore? Gaura-Govinda had disclosed that some of the pandas ate meat, visited prostitutes, took intoxicants, etc. Srila Prabhupada answered, “Lord Jagannatha resides everywhere. For thousands of years, the sanctity they are killing.” I asked whether there was anything we could do about it. Prabhupada replied, “Unless the administration comes to us…“
