Prabhupāda: ...and prostitutes. So...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's even mentioned in the Kṛṣṇa book. Prostitutes came out of Dvārakā.
Prabhupāda: Yes. In Calcutta in our childhood I have seen many big, big prostitutes, Vaiṣṇavī.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really?
Prabhupāda: All, their behavior, their living... Simply they were not married. They were kept by some big men. Otherwise everything was so nice. Big, big prostitutes.
Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)
Prabhupāda: There was a big temple of prostitutes in Calcutta, Kach-Kamil.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kach...?
Prabhupāda: Kach-Kamil. Kach-Kamil means the gentleman who kept her, he was a big glass merchant. So the temple was decorated with mirrors and glass, and her name was Kamil, so Kach-Kamil temple. Still there are. Everyone was Kṛṣṇa conscious, either poor man, retired man or prostitute or gentleman or rich man—everyone. The society itself was Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There wasn't any influence of that Ramakrishna Mission yet?
Prabhupāda: No Ramakrishna... Who cares for?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They had no... I mean, nowadays they are so widespread in their effect.
Prabhupāda: No, no. Oh... Because people are degraded. Who cared for Ramakrishna?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In those days it was much purer.
Prabhupāda: Still who cares for Ramakrishna?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But now people are hodgepodge.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is another thing.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean to say, in those days people were a little bit more authentic in their, you know...
Prabhupāda: Degraded, most. There is no principles. Formerly there was a standard principle. Then they fall down.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But what did the British think of that principle?
Prabhupāda: British gave liberty about our culture and religion. They never interfered. That was their credit. They knew it. If they interfered with their internal affairs, then they will be lost. That was Queen. She guided them.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were expert like that.
Prabhupāda: No, they were very good politician. (pause) I can say, in the British period there was no scarcity, and leniency. I recall the way. Didn't require... And when they like... With three hundred rupees they were so happy. Now you calculate that three hundred rupees means ten thousand. So where is that ten thousand rupees?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, only the wealthier...
Prabhupāda: For children one anna tiffin is sufficient. One anna. (looking at monkeys) You see?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, a whole family of them. This is their feeding place, the garbage can here. They don't come when they see people, though. Around all the holy places I always see a lot of monkeys and cows in India. Is there some reason, special, about... I mean, cows, there's obvious reason, but what about the monkeys? Why are they around the holy places?
Prabhupāda: Because they are fed by the visitors.