- Jay Vadher

In early 50’s when Hindus started coming to the UK mainly for further education and some for working they brought with them their Hindu beliefs and individually practised it but in late 60’s there was an influx of East African Asians and they started practising Hindu religion in community groups but Since Shrila Prabhupada set his foot on the land of the United Kingdom it seems that the land was purified and the Krishna Consciousness started becoming popular and acceptable amongst the indigenous population. However, obviously there was some resistance but the awareness and popularity was on increase. A Mandir was established by Shrila Prabhupada in the heart of London “Soho” which was a centre and place of worship for the Hindu devotees.

As it happened Beetles George Harrison donated the Bhaktivedanta Manor to ISKCON which Shrila Prabhupada made into a place of Hindu Warship “Temple” and a headquarter of the ISKCON organisation in the UK. It became very popular place of worship and Hindus from all over UK and outside started visiting. The Number of visitors was on increase and on the Hindu festival days the number of worshipers started swelling, which was not acceptable to the local residents of Elstree Village and they started making complaints about the large crowds of mainly Asians visiting the Bhaktivedanta Manor. Therefore, they lodged an objection to the application made by ISKCON to the Local Authority, to make the Manor as a place of Worship. It became a big struggle to let the worshippers to attend at the Manot. The Local Authority upon the complaints of the local residents took steps to stop the public (Hindus from all over the UK) visiting the Temple for Darsan and served an Enforcement Notice on the Temple and threatened to close it down.

It was necessary to appoint a firm of solicitors and various experts to fight the objections and secure a planning permission for the Manor to become a place of worship. A steering committee from the members of various communities, supporters and sympathisers of ISKCON, was appointed to fight the objections by the local residents.

A friend late Dr. Vidya Sagar Anand who was a member of steering committee of ISKCON fighting for the right to open the Temple to the public, approached me (Jay Vadher) and said Lord Krishna wants you, to handle the fight of his legal battle to keep his temple in Elstree open for everyone particularly Hindus. I attended the committee meeting at the Hare Krishna Temple. Ian Fleming (Akanddidas) was the Chairperson with other members present asked various questions and decided to appoint my firm Jay Vadher & Co as the Solicitors acting for the ISKCON to represent the Temple in their fight against the Local Authority.

I was privileged to act for the Temple in their fight against the Local Authority and to instruct and work with the top planning lawyer Mr. Graham Eyre Queens Counsel (Q.C) and the world renowned acoustic and highway experts. The preparations were an enormous task and very costly which Jay Vadher & Co legal team worked very hard and managed to prepare for the appeal which lasted a month and with the blessings of Lord Krishna completed purchase of forty-one acres of the farm land behind the Temple to create a new road, the current entrance, Dharam Marg, to avoid any confrontation with some of the local residence of the Elstree Village.
Congratulations to all the members associated with ISKCON under the auspices of Srila Prabhupada nominated by Lord Krishna to have successfully completed 50 years of preaching the words and Lilas of Lord Krishna and to pray for the world peace

Jay Vadher & Rajay Vadher of Jay Vadher & Co Solicitors and Notary Public of 185 Romford Road, Stratford, London E15 4JF Tel No 0208 519 3000.