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When Malati devi dasi discovered tiny Jagannatha deities in an import store in San Francisco in early 1976, Srila Prabhupada requested Syamasundar dasa to carve three-foot high copies of these deities.
Srila Prabhupada said San-Francisco could be renamed to "New Jagannatha Puri," after the city in Orissa famous for its Jagannatha Temple. He chanted "'Jagannatha svami nayana-patha-gami-bhavatu me.' 'This is a mantra addressed to Lord Jagannatha,' Srila Prabhupada said. "Jagannatha means Lord of the universe." "O Lord of the universe, kindly be visible unto me." It is very auspicious that He has chosen to appear here."
On March 26, 1967, the anniversary of the appearance day of Lord Caitanya, Srila Prabhuapda conducted a simple ceremony to install the new Deities. Although big temples use complex procedures to install a Deity, that was not possible at that time.
