Report:
Grand Inauguration Festival of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math West London Branch
& Grand Installation Festival of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Giridhari Jiu
16 August 2014
 ♥ Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Giridhari Jiu ♥
Report of Inauguration Festival by Sripad B.V. Nyasi Maharaj:


August 16th 2014 marked the official public opening of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's grand new facility in West London.  Located a short ten minute drive from Heathrow Airport, the new property is a 6,000 square foot (Grade A historical listing) former school-chapel dating from 1846.  The exterior of the building is well appointed with period brickwork, leaded glass windows, and solid arched wooden doors.  The former chapel is our new temple room, now graced by the divine presence of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Giridhari Jiu.   The large adjacent room with high-beamed ceiling and a large arched leaded glass window, is quarters for Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's current President-Acharya, Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. 
Extensive renovations over the course of the last two years preceded the opening per the stringent regulations of the Middlesex Planning Department.  Devotee accommodations are now complete with six sleeping rooms, six showers and nine toilets.  A new commercial kitchen is now in service; as is a well appointed room complex with Deity room and Pujari kitchen, management offices, Prasadam room, kid's room, the Bhakti Yoga Institute Library and a small devotee kitchen.  Impressive, yeah??
Left: Evening class by the holy congregation of Acharyyas and Sannyasis.
Right: On 15 August 2014 - the day before the inauguration festival - Sriman Mahaprabhu and Sri Sri Radha Giridhari Jiu arrive by car from Green Street Math.
On 16 August at 8 AM Srila B.P. Janardana Maharaj and Sripad B.K. Tyagi Maharaj conduct the fire-sacrifice to install Their Lordships. 
The festivities were held under the auspices of Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj who, unable to attend, sent Sripad B.K. Tyagi Maharaj as his representative and invited the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Acharya-vrinda to attend along with respected Math sannyasis. An amazing total of eight Sannyasis attended, three of whom are appointed Acharyas: Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj, Srila B.K. Ashram Maharaj and Srila B.V. Trivikram Maharaj.  Other sannyasis in attendance were Sripad B.C. Bharati, Sripad B.C. Parvat, Sripad B.S. Tridandi, and Sripad B.V. Nyasi Maharajas.
 
The main programme commences amongst the holy congregation of Acharyas, sannyasis, Vaisnavas, and friends. 
The main function of the festival was held under a large marquee in the outdoor courtyard set in multi-coloured Indian sandstone and surrounded by carefully manicured gardens.  Sripad Devashis Prabhu emceed the ceremonies, glorifying the principal devotees responsible for obtaining and renovating the building and property: Sripad B.V. Nyasi Maharaj worked with great determination from Srila Gurudev's first request for a new building in 2003 to the final contract closure in 2010. Sripad Bharati Maharaj headed this quest under the direct order of Srila Gurudeva from 2007, making extreme sacrifices along the way.  Sriman Lalita Madhava Prabhu and Rasamayi Pandita Dasi took the project to heart, almost single-handedly engineering the final purchase along with complex negotiations with the Middlesex Planning Department.  The final cost of 650,000 pounds was paid in full by Sripad Bharati Maharaj and Lalita Madhava Prabhu along with the very kind and generous help of his beloved father Mr. Freddie Wong.  The otherwise very costly legal work in the sale closure and planning approval was generously donated by Mr. Jitesh Thakrar of Southall.  Close to 50,000 pounds in renovation costs were raised and managed by the tirelessly energetic Saraswati Devi Dasi, assisted by Sachidevi and Layanyamayi Devi Dasis, along with significant contributions from Aditinandana Prabhu. Mr. Wong was again very generous with his financial help with the costs for the courtyard, garden, solar panels and other aspects of the internal work.  Additional kudos for much valuable seva done on the interior and exterior renovations must go to Ishan Prabhu, Antaryami Prabhu, Jagannath Prabhu, Anirudha Prabhu, Bisakha Dasi, Arati Devi Dasi, Syama Sakhi Devi Dasi, Madhu Krsna Prabhu, Braja Bihari Prabhu, Munindra Mohan Prabhu, Krsna Kanta Devi Dasi, Mayeswari Devi Dasi, Prahlad Prabhu, Paramananda Prabhu, Vira Chandra Prabhu & Radharani Dasi, Lila Sundar Prabhu and many, many others.
Left: Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj.
Right: Sripad B.V. Nyasi Maharaj, Srila B.V. Trivikram Maharaj, Srila B.K. Ashram Maharaj, and Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj.
Next on the programme, Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj noted the great sacrifices involved in bringing about this new building as a fulfillment of the desire of Srila Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar-Dev Goswami Maharaj and Srila Saraswati Thakur. Srila B.K. Ashram Maharaj glorified Sachidevi, Lavanyamayi and Saraswati Devi Dasis and the other devotees who tirelessly worked fundraising and managing to bring the project to reality; Srila B.V. Trivikram Maharaj humorously gave context to the importance of the new centre; Sripad B.V. Nyasi Maharaj briefly outlined his seven years work, culminating in a final presentation before Srila Gurudev's Samadhi; Sripad B.C. Parvat Maharaj told of the importance of the centre in the world of Krsna consciousness; Sripad B.S. Tridandi Maharaj very succinctly glorified the auspiciousness of the project; and Sripad B.K. Tyagi Maharaj very eloquently implored the audience to dive more deeply into the reality of inner self-sacrifice and surrender.  Sriman Kripamoy Prabhu of our sister-society ISKCON described the intimate relationship of our respective Founder-acharyas (Sri Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Sri Srimad B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj) and gave heartfelt appreciation of the significance of the new Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. 
Video addresses sent for the occasion by:
  Srila B.N. Acharya Maharaj: Part 1 | Part 2
  Srila B.B. Avadhut Maharaj
  Srila B.S. Goswami Maharaj

Selected audio recordings of leading devotees at the Festival:
  Devashis Prabhu (Master of Ceremonies)
  Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj
  Srila B.K. Ashram Maharaj
  Sripad B.V. Nyasi Maharaj
  Srila B.V. Trivikram Maharaj
  Sripad B.C. Parvat Maharaj
  Sripad B.S. Tridandi Maharaj
  Sripad B.K. Tyagi Maharaj
  Sripad Kripamoy Prabhu.

Devashis Prabhu's Festival Report
Left: We were blessed by the attendance of several honorary guests from ISKCON: Sriman Kripamoy Prabhu, Srimati Sri Guru Charana Padma Devi Dasi and their family. Other honouable guests included Sriman Jai Nitai Prabhu and his wife Srimati Bhava Bhakti Devi Dasi.
Right: Sripad B.K. Tyagi Maharaj.

Left: Srila B.P. Janardan Maharaj cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the first arati for Sriman Mahaprabhu after His installation ceremony.
Right: Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Giridhari Jiu's first aroti.  
After the presentations, the worship of the manifest Archa-vigraha Deity forms of Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Sri Radha Giridhari Jiu was inaugurated.  The three Acharyas, headed by Srila Janardan Maharaj (who cut the ribbon) gave their blessings and all the over 100 devotees and guests joined in a joyous arati ceremony.  The chanting at one point was so resounding it appeared that travellers at Heathrow Airport could no longer hear the jets... 

Left: Sarswati Devi Dasi, Lila Sundari Devi Dasi (Holland), Dhanistha Devi Dasi, Lavanya Prabha Devi Dasi, and Sachidevi Devi Dasi.

Right: Arati. 
Prasadam time! A scrumptious feast was prepared for Their Lordships comprising of over 40 wonderful dishes prepared by multiple cooks including Sriman Dandakaranya Prabhu and his assistant Joanne, Syamarai Prabhu, Syamamalini Devi Dasi, Lavanyamayi Devi Dasi, Lila Sundar Prabhu, Devashis Prabhu, Saraswati Devi Dasi, Jyoti Sundar Prabhu, Ramasundar Prabhu, Ratnavali Devi Dasi and Krishna Kishore Prabhu.
After the arati, the bliss-filled devotees rushed into the prasadam room, where they were feted with a sumptuous feast that had just been offered to the Deities. Believe it or not, over forty different preparations were served (yes, I counted them) — all of exquisite quality with perfectly balanced cooking and spicing. More than twenty devotees had labored with love from the previous night until the 2pm offering. Sriman Kripamoy Prabhu commented that he had not experienced such an elaborate and well-prepared feast "in many, many years".
Sripad B.K. Tyagi Maharaj (left) and Lavanya Prabha Devi Dasi and Indulekha Devi Dasi (right) serving prasadam to the devotees.
After the festival a group of approximately 35 devotees went out on a Maha-Sankirttan in Central London led by Srila B.K. Ashram Maharaj, Srila B.V. Trivikram Maharaj, Sripad B.C. Parvat Maharaj, Sripad B.S. Tridandi Maharaj and Sripad B.K. Tyagi Maharaj. 
Fortunate to participate in the wonder filled experience of this grand festival, the devotees' hearts were deeply touched. There was an unmistakable power and presence to everything that happened — one that will be with us for our entire lives. From joyously embracing old and new friends, hearing the heart-felt transmissions from our Acharyas and senior godbrothers, dancing before our newly-arrived Lords, losing ourselves in the flowing rhythm of Hari-nam sankirtana, to honoring Prasadam that was like no other. "Very tasteful," we heard all around us. And we knew where it was all coming from. Srila Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj, had received his building as he requested — "Commensurate with the glories of my Guru Maharaj". The final to-do on his lifetime list, he could now fully check off. He was with us — more so than for some four long years — unmistakably alive in the devotees' hearts. Was that his voice we heard just around the corner? I think so, don't you?
Our Appreciation

Lastly, we are very grateful for the donations towards the refurbishment, maintenance, and grand inauguration festival from: Sripad B.C. Bharati Maharaj, Srila B.B. Avadhut Maharaj, Sachidevi Devi Dasi (UK), Lalita Madhava Prabhu & Rasamayi Pandita Dasi (UK), Vidya Sundar Prabhu & family (Canada), Kanailal Prabhu (UK), Navanalini Devi Dasi (Russia), Shantimoyi Devi Dasi (Italy), Sripad B.C. Parvat Maharaj (Soquel, USA), Keshavananda Prabhu (Utah, USA), Ajitasa Devi Dasi (Japan), Rasheswari Devi Dasi (Norway), Yasheswari Devi Dasi (Holland), Lila Sundari Devi Dasi (Holland), Aditinandana Prabhu & family (UK), Gopal Krishna Prabhu (UK), Ananda Rupa Dasi (UK), Sudha Krishna Prabhu (Sweden), Anjali Devi Dasi (UK) , Nitai Chand Prabhu (UK), Braja Kumar Prabhu, Ananda Swarupini & family (UK), Krishna Bhakta Prabhu (Canada), Mr. & Mrs. Charulal Nath in collaboration with Prakash Patel & ProPharm Group (UK), Santhosh Prabhu & family (UK), Antaryami Prabhu (Venezuela), Anu Krishna Dasi (UK), Damodar Krishna Prabhu (UK), Ramasundar Prabhu (UK), Rajendra Krishna Prabhu & Vasanteswari Devi Dasi & family (UK), Varath Balachandren Prabhu (UK), Aniha Prabhu and family (UK), Vilasini Devi Dasi (UK), Ananta Bhakti Das (UK), Tripta Krishna Devi Dasi (UK), Ashalata Devi Dasi (UK), Krishna Bandhu Prabhu & Indulekha Devi Dasi & family (UK), Syamasundar Prabhu (USA), Madhavi Lata Devi Dasi (Holland), Anirudha Prabhu and Dandakaranya Prabhu (UK).
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