There were numerous obstacles to overcome when the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) planned to host the first Rath Yatra in New York City nearly 46 years ago.
Even though the approval of the parade on Fifth Avenue was nothing short of a miracle, it was never going to be simple to locate a sizable empty space where chariots could be constructed. They rang every doorbell they could think of in vain. Then, Donald Trump, a former US president, appeared as a glimmer of hope for Krishna devotees.
A REMINDER OF THE 1976 EPISODE
The first chariot procession of the Lord of the Universe Mahaprabhu Jagannath began on the streets of New York City with assistance from the then-30-year-old emerging real-estate mogul in the United States of America, Donald Trump. Radharamn Das, vice president and spokeswoman for ISKCON Kolkata, used the opportunity presented by the restoration of Trump’s Twitter account on Sunday.
In 1976, as ISKCON celebrated its tenth anniversary, devotees in New York City were organising the city’s first significant Rath Yatra. In a Facebook post, Discover Hare Krishna stated, “We had permission to use the Fifth Avenue, which is actually a major deal. However, in order to construct the enormous wooden carts, we required a vacant site close to the parade’s starting point. Everyone we questioned responded negatively. It makes sense that they were concerned about insurance risks and other issues.
YES FROM DONALD TRUMP
Devotees’ desperation peaked, and their hopes were almost dashed. Nearly every business owner apparently responded that they were in the process of selling the land at the Pennsylvania train yard, which was identified as the ideal location for cart manufacturing. A few days later, they learned that Donald Trump had bought the old railway yard from someone. However, there were still reservations because a dozen other potential landlords had already declined their requests, so why would Trump be any different?
Nevertheless, the worshippers delivered a large basket of Maha Prasadam and a presentation package to his office. He accepted it, but his secretary told the followers that he never does this kind of thing. You can ask, but he will most likely decline.
Believe in Mahaprabhu, they say, and the miracle will materialise.
The supporters were contacted three days later by Trump’s secretary, who said, “I don’t know what happened, but he read your letter, took a taste of the food you left, and said Sure, why not?
“Come on down and collect his signed letter of approval,” the secretary then instructed. Yes, Trump had authorised the use of the open rail yards for the construction of the Rath Yatra carts.
RATH YATRA PROCESSION APPROVAL
Another difficult problem that the devotees had to deal with was getting a march permit approved. Tosan Krishna Das, who was in charge of obtaining the permit on behalf of the Hare Krishna Movement, had presented a written request to the authorities. The police department initially said yes, but they later changed their mind because a mayor’s edict prohibiting new parades on Fifth Avenue has been in effect since 1962. Tosan finally approached the Manhattan Police Commissioner after running out of other options.
Nobody was aware of the chief’s potential response to the application. The police chief, though, smiled as he signed the documents following a careful perusal. The chief remarked, “I don’t know why I’m doing this. The document was then signed, says Tosan.
Trump, like other corporate business owners, could have easily rejected the suggestion. The Police chief, according to devotees, was also no exception. Why they didn’t object is still a mystery to believers of Lord Jagannath, who attribute it to his blessing.
amfnews