All glories to Sri Sri Guru Gauranga      

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines branch

Information about the new location of permanent centre for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines branch

Article by Ishani Devi Dasi and web-page Ratnanabha Das

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines Branch name was given to me (Ishani Devi Dasi) by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj in Nabadwip 2005. This was my first visit to India and was my first meeting with Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj as my siksa guru. Since that time five small Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math books have been translated into Tagalog and given to the hand of Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj. Also a Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines Branch website purely in Tagalog (language of the Philippines) was put up in 2008: http://philippines.scsmath.org.

I have visited the holy Dham of Nabadwip with my husband Ratnanabha Prabhu over the years, but this year 2012 while at Ekachakra, Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj said we should try and have a permanent centre for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines Branch.

While in Nabadwip my sister phoned me, and offered me a small house and a chance to fulfil Srila Acharyadev's wishes for a permanent centre in the Philippines at a place called Pandi. Since arriving back home in the Philippines I have taken up my sisters offer of the house and with the help of my sister I have a building permit and electricity will be installed soon. We plan to drill a deep well so we shall have a good water supply. Building work will continue as we have funds, but at the moment most of our funds go on repayment of down payment and mortgage.

Pandi is a rural municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. The borough of Pandi lies 41 kilometres northeast of Manila and is located in the east of Bulacan Province. Pandi has a population of 60,637 inhabitants in 9,817 households. With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, Pandi is now included in the Greater Manila's built-up area.

During the Spanish Regime - [1521-1898], Pandi was a part of the political region of the town of Meycauayan City it also formed part of the vast Hacienda Santa Maria de Pandi. The present site of the Municipal building was then enclosed with high massive walls similar to the famous Walls of Intramuros in Manila, which served as the centre of power and activities of the Spanish Catholic Monks who owned and administered the haciendas. Politically, however, Pandi was then a part of the town Balagtas (then Bigaa until its formal separation and independence on April 17, 1946).

The picture above is how the permanent centre for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines branch looks at the present day. The picture at the left side is of the proposed future appearance of the permanent centre for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines Branch which will have at least two floors.

If devotees and friends of SCSMath world-wide would like to help with this project it does not matter how large or small your donation is. All those who contribute will be mention on a plaque at SCSMath Philippines Branch; and we are sure you will get all blessing from our dear SCSMath Guru-varga.

The new Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Philippines Branch will be at Wood Bridge, Pandi, Bulacan. The renovation will take ten year's at our present finances.

Ishani Devi Dasi
Pandi, Bulacan, Philippines