My dear Maharaj ji’s and Prabhu ji’s
\nPlease accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feets!
\nAll glories to Srila Prabhupada!<\/p>\n
This is the 125th year when His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila
\nPrabhupada appeared under a Jackfruit tree in Tollygunge, Kolkata. In 2011
\nwe had acquired 4 very small rooms under that exact tree which was made
\npossible due to contributions of HH Radhanath Swami who immediately sent
\nall the money to shift the people living in those 4 rooms. The whole
\nproperty is around 4 and half Katha but unfortunately it’s under “Thika
\nTenancy”. There is a very complicated legal provision in West Bengal which
\nis called “Thika Tenancy” where the Government is the owner of the land
\nand all the Thika Tenants pay rents to the Government and all the
\n“Bharatiyas” or sub-tenants pay rent to the “Thika tenant”. So legally it’s
\nimpossible to purchase the land and own it.<\/p>\n
I had approached the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Sushri Mamata
\nBanerjee requesting to transfer the land in ISKCON name. So she has agreed
\nfor it and for which she has to change some law (it’s already done) but she
\nhas requested that we settle with all the sub-tenants and the main tenant
\nand then the Government will handover the land to ISKCON.<\/p>\n
The problem is that there are 17 sub-tenants living on that property and
\neach of them were demanding huge money to vacate the property. Their
\ninitial total demand was around 4.3 crores Rupees to vacate the property.
\nIn the last 5 years we worked with them in reducing the price and finally
\nthe amount is hovering around 2.65 crores. If we have this money then they
\nwill immediately vacate the whole property (4.5 katha area or about 3000 sq
\nfeet) and the Government of West Bengal will legally transfer the land in
\nISKCON name. Our ISKCON Kolkata temple has arranged Rs 50 lacs but
\nunfortunately we are short of Rs 2.15 crore rupees.<\/p>\n
On 1st September 2021 we are celebrating the 125th anniversary of Srila
\nPrabhupada and will it not be a good idea to preserve and GIFT Srila
\nPrabhupada his own birthplace? But unfortunately we have only 59 days in
\nhand from today.<\/p>\n
ISKCON Kolkata could only arrange Rs 50 lacs for it. We need another Rs.
\n2.15 crores Rupees or around US $ 290,000.<\/p>\n
We make a desperate appeal to all of you to help us collect this fund in
\nthe next 10 to 15 days. Please share this with people in your congregation,
\nwho can help and want to help for Srila Prabhupada birthplace!<\/p>\n
We would also like to share good news that 1 Ultadanga Junction road (the
\n2nd birth place (spiritual birthplace) of Srila Prabhupada) is going
\nthrough very fast restoration work and the Building work and full
\nrestoration work will be completed by January 2022 and it’s being readied
\nto be inaugurated on 21st February 2022. 2022 is also the 100th year
\ncelebration of Srila Prabhupada meeting His Guru Maharaj on the roof of
\nthis historic building. By the generous donations of Sridham Mayapur, HH
\nJayapataka Swami, HH Bhakti Vigyan Goswami and other Prabhupada
\ndisciples and devotees it was only possible. ISKCON Kolkata devotees,
\nspecially Ananga Mohan prabhu and Dauji Kripa prabhu arranged huge support
\nin arranging the funds (almost 2 crores) for the 1 Ultadanga project which
\nhelped in removing the old tenets and now in completing the civil work
\netc.<\/p>\n
Once again we all need to come together and help arrange the balance amount
\nof Rs. 2.15 crore so that in the next 15 days we can remove all the
\ntenants residing on this land and on 1st September 2021 we can offer it to
\nSrila Prabhupada!
\nI am also worried about the 140 years old Jackfruit tree, as some of the
\nresidents have threatened to cut it off 3 days back if we don’t settle with
\nthem. Please see the video attached of the fight which happened 3 days
\nback. So please help.<\/p>\n
Also this Jackfruit tree was a barren tree and did not use to give fruits.
\nIn 2001 we started to work on it and then for the 1st time it gave fruit in
\nthe year 2012 or 2013. We wanted the fruit so that we can grow the next
\ngeneration of these divine trees. But in 2013 (?) when it gave fruit all
\nthe residents stole the fruits and we could only get hold of an
\nunripened Jackfruit from which we were unable to get seeds which will grow.
\nAnd after that again for the last 7 years it did not grow fruits.
\nFortunately this year we got hold of 25 big sized Jackfruits and the
\nripened one”s and we are germinating them. Now we will have 100″s of
\nJackfruit trees- which are babies of the same tree under which Srila
\nPrabhupada appeared. We are planning to gift those trees to each ISKCON
\ncenter where it can grow and to also those who will help for Srila
\nPrabhupada Janmsthan.<\/p>\n
Always at your mercy and aspiring to be in your service
\nYours<\/p>\n
Radharamn Das<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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