In 1975 in the summer when Srila Prabhupada came, there was a small house program at one of the Indian congregational member’s home. During that time, my father was sitting right next to Srila Prabhupada. And at the end of the talk, Srila Prabhupada asked my father, “why do you think that they don’t come to the temple or participate in the harinamas (he heard that there are 40 or 50 thousand Indians in the Charlotte area). And my father said, “Well Srila Prabhupada I think it’s because there is a lot of discrimination.” At that time there was a lot of discrimination against the Indians. They were called Pakis and they would say Paki go home. So my father said that he felt that people were afraid to dress in dhoti, kurta, and saris, chant out in the streets in a forceful way, and also be of colour. So that will just aggravate the situation. So he said, “Prabhupada I think it will be better if people dressed in regular Western clothes and not be so pushy like our preaching, and then may be people would come. Srila Prabhupada said (and I am paraphrasing), “the disease is strong so the medication must be strong. So we can’t compromise there.”

Madhurya-lila Dasi. Prabhupada memories, 94. 52.11-53.59. Video by Siddhanta Prabhu.