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'The Southernmost Part of this Globe', Part I -- Melbourne, 1976

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that 'prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama'. He wanted that everywhere, in every nook and corner of this world -- every city, every town, every village, there should be the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Chanting should be preached. So by His grace it is going on. Now, in the remotest part of the world, even in Australia, the southernmost part of this globe, there also we have got four branches, Melbourne, Sydney, and we have got a very big building of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Last year I established, and many hundreds of thousands of devotees are coming. So certainly, the Caitanya Mahaprabhu foretelling is now spreading.
Srila Prabhupada, from a lecture in Vrndavana, 7 April 1976

Plans were underway to hold another Ratha-yatra festival in Melbourne. Srila Prabhupada had written that the parade could be held any time of the year, and so Madhudvisa had chosen September 1975. When he heard, however, that Srila Prabhupada could not attend the parade until December or January 1976, Madhudvisa prepared to adjust the dates accordingly. But Srila Prabhupada wrote Madhudvisa a cautionary note on 4 August 1975:
Regarding your Ratha-yatra and my visit, nothing should be done according to my schedule. I am an old man. My visit should remain independent. As far as possible I am travelling, but nowadays I am feeling a little inconvenienced. Still, I am thinking to go to Australia during December or January, as you like.

Plans for the festival progressed steadily. The backyard of the Melbourne temple became a construction site for the massive chariots.


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu