Srila Prabhupada's Birthplace Purchased

[Venugopal & Padmini]

Devotees in Kolkata, India headed by GBC Radhanath Swami, have purchased Srila
Prabhupada’s birthplace and plan to develop it as a beautiful memorial to the
ISKCON founder Acharya. Fifteen years ago, devotees acquired a house and land
in the Tollygunge suburb of Kolkata that had belonged to Prabhupada’s maternal
grandfather. But the exact site where Prabhupada was born on September 1st,
1896 remained elusive until now.

“One hundred yards away from his maternal grandfather’s house is a small
cottage under a jackfruit tree,” explains Radha Jivan Das, a Florida-based
businessman and philanthropist. “In India in those days, when a woman gave
birth, she would go back to her father’s house. So Prabhupada’s mother, Srimati
Rajani De, went to stay with her joint family in Tollygunge—her parents and
brothers all lived there. She gave birth to Srila Prabhupada in this small
cottage, which was exclusively for ladies to give birth—a kind of birthing
center, so to speak.”

Recently the cottage became available for sale. Kolkata devotees, including
vice president Radha Raman Das, negotiated with the elderly lady who had owned
it, and purchased it
 for just $25,000. The funds were raised by Radhanath Swami and Radha Jivan
Das, who each paid half of the cost.

Besides being Srila Prabhupada’s birthplace, there are several interesting
facts about the property.

The jackfruit tree which stands over the cottage and still bears fruit, was
present when Srila Prabhupada was born 117 years ago. Radha Jivan estimates
it’s at least 130 or 140 years old. The property is also special because Srila
Prabhupada continued to visit it throughout his childhood. Or rather, he would
visit the house of his mother’s family 100 yards from it. Whenever Srimati
Rajane De would go to visit her family, Prabhupada would go with her,
 taking the thirty-kilometer commute from his father Gour Mohan De’s house on
Mahatma Gandhi Road. During his visits to Tollygunge, Srila Prabhupada—then
little Abhay Charan De—would go with his maternal uncles to visit a Madan Mohan
temple just across the street from their house. One of the most interesting and
little-known facts, however, is that it was actually Srila Prabhupada’s express
wish that his birthplace be purchased by ISKCON.

“Srila Prabhupada’s grand nephew and disciple, Sankarshan Das, is currently
managing a preaching center in Godrumadvipa, near Mayapur,” says Radha Jivan.

“When I told him what we were purchasing Prabhupada’s
 birthplace, he started to cry.” He said, ‘On May 5th, 1977, five months before
he passed away, Srila Prabhupada personally handwrote me a Bengali letter. He
said ‘Sankarshana Prabhu, this place where I was born under the tree must be
acquired.’”

“Prabhupada knew who he was,” Radha Jivan says. “He knew he was the acharya of
the age. He knew his birthplace could not just go to waste.”

So it is no surprise that ISKCON devotees are very excited, 36 years later, to
finally own this piece of history.

“Several brahmachari disciples of Radhanath Swami are already living there,”
says Radha Jivan. “They have installed a murti form of Srila Prabhupada in the
cottage where he was born. They are doing kirtan, and distributing kichari
prasadam to the hungry in the area. We are currently constructing some bathroom
facilities and cleaning the cottage up. We invite any devotees visiting Kolkata
to come and see Srila Prabhupada’s birthplace.”

In the next year, devotees hope to purchase two acres of land surrounding the
cottage. They will then begin building a beautiful monument for Srila
Prabhupada that will attract visitors from all over to see the birthplace of
the saint who gave the world Krishna consciousness. The monument will include a
museum depicting Prabhupada’s early childhood
 pastimes.

In the future, the memorial could expand into a full-fledged ISKCON center.

“It may include a nice temple and a school in Srila Prabhupada’s name, where
spiritual and material education can be given to the local people,” Radha Jivan
says.

ISKCON guru Radha Govinda Swami, upon hearing the news, summed up the
importance of this acquisition by ISKCON.

“This Bhumi, this land, that gave birth to the greatest personality—who gave
life to the whole world by giving knowledge of Krishna consciousness—must be
worshipped,” he said. “This is a great service that has been performed by the
devotees and disciples of Srila Prabhupada. They have acquired such sacred
earth, which will be worshipped by millions and millions of followers in the
future.”sa

[Prakash Rao]

Hare Krishna, Plz accept my humble obeisences

 

 

Hari Hari Bol .... Very Happy to hear this / Thank you for sharing

 

 

Your Servant

PABD

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Please Chant:
"Jaya Sri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda,
Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivasadi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda" - 3 times
and
 
"Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare". - 108 times
 
and be happy!!
 
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