Dearest Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
Over half a century has now passed since, due to the desire of Your Divine Grace, His Grace
Śrīmān George Harrison Prabhu gave us Bhaktivedanta Manor.
The devotees moved into the Manor on Tuesday May 1, 1973. As soon as Your Divine Grace had
been informed that we now had proprietorship of the estate, you immediately wanted to travel to
your Bhaktivedanta Manor. Hence, on Wednesday, May 23, 1973, you appeared at the Manor most
majestically, your helicopter landing on the front lawn. You remained here for over four months.
And now after almost fifty-two years, there has been tremendous growth, expansion, and devel-
opment. As we come down Dharam Marg after entering through the grand main gates on the left,
we observe the horticultural fields, where we engage our WWOOFers. This initiative has, over
the years, made many devotees. Thereafter, we see our kalpa-vṛkṣa cows. We take darshan of them
as they happily graze upon the evergreen fresh grass fields. Dharam Marg itself is 802 metres
in length, servicing and welcoming all Vaiṣṇava devotees and pilgrims alike. Halfway down, we
begin to observe the New Gokula Goshala, which is our “Hilton for Gomata” with its substantial
barns. We then come to the japa garden on the right, which is perfect for encouraging devotees
to chant japa. From there we can see the children’s playground, the main feature being Aghāsura,
where the children are so very happily playing.
We then turn left and are now right in front of the Sri Krishna Haveli facility building, which
has a footprint of just over two thousand square metres. The two magnificent tulasī greenhouses
and the tulasī gardens are most beautifully prominent as we enter the north carpark. At the top of
the old driveway toward the right is our George Harrison Garden. Next to it is the elegant garden
dedicated to Your Divine Grace. This then takes us around the lake, with its boathouse – at which
point we can take full darshan of Bhaktivedanta Manor, home of Their Supreme Lordships. We
end by entering the south carpark.
All this and much more you have so kindly given us, Śrīla Prabhupāda. To have an estate
consisting of 80 acres within the London area is indeed remarkable. To my knowledge, no other
religious institution has such a thing.
On behalf of all the Vaiṣṇava devotees of Rādhā-Gokulānanda, we are indeed most very grate-
ful and indebted to Their Supreme Lordships and to Your Divine Grace for providing so much
facility.
However, we wish to increase and expand further and further, so within the next two years, by
the time of your fiftieth tirobhāva celebrations, we will have revealed our plans, and so we sincerely
pray to Your Divine Grace for more and more facility in order to expand Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Your eternal servant,
Nīla Mādhava Dāsa, managing director of ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor