Gaudiya Mission, UK
Rising History
His Divine grace, Nityalila Prabistha Om Vishnupad Paramhansa 108 Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupad being inspired by Sriman Mahaprabhu started to spread and propagate the philosophy of unalloyed devotion (Suddha Bhakti) throughout India with great zeal and vigor. Being heard the jest of all the spiritual scripts like Veda, Vedanta, Upanishad, Purana, and Bhagabatam, thousands of people were convinced to take up the religion of unalloyed devotion to attain the ultimatum.
By the third decade of the century, Srila Prabhupad had established about 64 preaching centers including one in Rangoon, and had been contemplating trained spiritual emissaries crossing the shores of India and propagating SrimanMahaprabhu’steachings on European soil. This took a concrete shape in 1933 when SrilaPrabhupad transmitted the requisite spiritual strength to Srila B. P. Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, the disciple of Bhakti Vinod Thakur, a front-rank devotee and an eminent scholar-monk of the GaudiyaVaisnava Order, who armed with such energy and blessings, associated two others landed in London. The sheath of the traditional intellectual conserve- time of contemporary London was unveiled, and a floodgate of spiritual queries opened up. Prompted by intellectual interest and religious curiosity, the elite thronged the Lecture Hall to listen to the Message of Divine Love from Maharaj-ji’s holy lips. Those blessed ones with innate ‘Sanskar’ took the Message of ‘Para Bhakti’ to their hearts and succumbed to its splendent promise of abiding peace and tranquillity of the soul.
In a short span, a temporary preaching center had already been set up on 11th May 1933 at Greyton Garden, Kensington, Sw-10.
On 16th June 1937, Sri Adhokshaja Vasudev Vishnu Deity made His appearance of His free will in the bushes at Queen’s Club Garden, west Kensington, London. This brought a flow of joy among the Vaishnavas, who felt it a good sign. Thus the Gaudiya Math there was named ‘Vasudev Gaudiya Math’.
[Miss D. C. Bowtell, a young English lady was one of the listeners of Maharaj-ji. She with Stella Harrish (alias Vishnupriya Dasi) threw themselves heart and soul into the graduated spiritual endeavor prescribed in the ‘Bhakti Sadhan’ for the final attainment. Being one of the recipients of the holy ‘Nama-Malika’, handed down by Srila Prabhupad, through Maharaj-ji, and renamed ‘Vinode Vani Dasi’, she proved herself true to her faith and name till her mortal end. Her dwelling house was christened by Sri Vasudev Gaudiya Math’ and she continued to own tini trust on behalf of the Lord. After Srila Prabhupad, she maintained her steady link with the Mission through correspondence with Srila Bhakti Prasad Puri Goswami Thakur. It was in the sixties that the lady found an intimate spiritual brother ni His Divine Grace Srila Acharyapad, The mantle of the Mission’s Secrestarship had then fallen on His Divine Grace, and correspondence ensued between the two. The spiritual maturity of Smt Vinodevani enabled her to reap the fullest benefit of His Divine Grace’s holy company through unbroken correspondence over the years. Thereafter she made her ‘Will and bequeathed all her movables and immovables to the Gaudiya Mission.
In the year 1981 patronage of Srila B. K. Audolomi Maharaj, then Acharya of the Mission, Srila Acharyapad took every step necessary for translating the life-long wishes of Smt Vinodevani into reality. All legal formalities were complied with and Sripad •Kamalaksha das Brahmachari (B.S Paribrajak Maharaj).
HDG B.S. Paribrajak Maharaj, a young and able preacher-monk of the Mission, was despatched from India to take charge of Sri Vasudev Gaudiya Math at 27, Cranhurst Road and activate it as the principal preaching Centre of the Mission in Europe.
For a long 10 years Sripad BS. Paribrajak Maharaj acted as the superintendent, bringing London’s propagating activities to a height.) It was the 9th day of August 1987 when, as the first president of the Gaudiya Mission to visit Western countries, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Paramhansa Sri Srimad Bhakti Srirup Bhagabat Maharaj landed at Hithro Airport of London to propagate the messages of Sriman Mahaprabhu.
During his stay in London, His Divine Grace addressed large gatherings of selected citizens, imparting the Message of Divine Love to all seekers after Truth, and held personal discussions and discourses with those who came with metaphysical queries. The overwhelming response of the local citizens to His Divine Grace’s historic visit caused the manifest in the growing participation of people from every walk of life in the activities of London Math. The unceasing daily worship of Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga-Gandharvika Girdhari Jew, which was consecrated by His own Hand in the heart of the Metropolitan London, is a signal achievement of His Divine Grace’s momentous visit.
When Srila Goswamipad came to Acharya’s seat as the nominee of Srila Acharya, he started conveying the message of Sriman Mahaprabhu among the citizens of London with much strength and spirit. To improve the devotional activities of the Math, the deities of Karimganj Gaudiya Math were carried down to London and worshiped at the metropolitan city with much zeal and vigor by the grace of the Divine Master, the present Acharya Om Vishnupad Sri Srila Bhakti Suhrid Paribrajak Maharaj.
The arduous task of importing spiritual Messages was then vested on His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Paramhansa Sri Srimad Bhakti Suhrid Paribrajak Maharaj the nominate of Acharyapad. Still the date the devotees of London are drenched with the fountain of unallowed Devotion under His astute guidance and forceful leadership.
