Way back in 1976 the ISKCON devotees in New York were determined to build three huge Ratha-Yatra carts and hold the respective festival in the most important city of the world. The challenge was to find a place in Manhattan where the carts could be built and then transferred to the festival route. Open real estate in Manhattan is a very rare thing indeed.Tosan Krsna Dasa took it upon himself to find such a place that would work.
The Pennsylvania Railroad yards where the logical choice, and in fact, probably the only place that would work. Without reservation he approached the then corporate company owners of the area with a proposal to let the devotees use the space to build the carts. Much to his dismay, he was told they were in the process of selling the property and it would be solely up to the new owner now under contract. That new owner was none other than Donald J. Trump.
So Tosan then wrote a proposal which was passed on to this noted real estate mogul. Things seemed dim at that point. However, much to Tosan’s surprise and prayers, he was contacted and asked to come to the Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan where all the details of the real estate transaction were to be concluded.
There upon he was given the signed permission agreement. It was signed by non-other than Donald J. Trump with permission to use the open rail yards to build the Ratha-Yatra carts for the most famous ISKCON festival. Trump could have easily rejected the proposal but, he did not. Why he did not, at this time, only he and Lord Krishna know.
Perhaps we will find out some time in the future. All we can honestly do is thank Tosan Krsna for his determined effort and now President Trump for his generosity. Jaya Lord Jagannath.
Kindly posted by Sriman
Gauracandra Das
Prabhu.PS: Gargamuni Dasa remembers Donald Trump visiting NY ISKCON at 26 2nd Ave and taking prasadam there.
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