Srila Prabhupada's speaking at Durban City Hall

Riddha Dasa : On October 7th, 1975, that evening was spent at Durban City Hall. It was spectacular. The large hall was packed with about two thousand people, mostly Indians, but also many Europeans. The stage had been tastefully decorated by the devotees and the vyasasana was center stage.

Srila Prabhupada entered the large auditorium by the side entrance of the hall, proceeding through the audience. Everyone stood up to honor him as I showered flower petals at his lotus feet. It was glorious. Once on the main stage, Pushta Krishna Swami led the devotees in kirtana with a simple, straightforward melody.

Srila Prabhupada was introduced, and then he sang the Jaya Radha-Madhava prayer and began his lecture on the first verse of Bhagavad-gita. He took the opportunity to tell the Indian community that they had their origin in the very great and rich tradition of Krishna consciousness. He was instilling a deep sense of pride into the Indian community, who for so long had been indentured and humiliated under the oppressive regime of apartheid, instigated by the former British rule.

Srila Prabhupada spoke with great authority. It was clear that he greatly liked his South African audience, and it set the pattern for the remaining programmes in South Africa.