Madras Presidency's Homage to Sree Krishna Chaitanya

As published in The Harmonist (Sree Sajjanatoshani)
Edited by Paramahamsa Paribrajakacharyya Sri Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj
June 1931 to June 1932

His Excellency Sir George Frederic Stanley performed yesterday evening the very pleasant function of laying the foundation stone of the "Sree Krishna Hall" of the Sree Gaudiya Math, Mowbrays Road, and Royapettah Madras in the presence of a very large and distinguished gathering of ladies and gentlemen.

On arrival, His Excellency and Lady Beatrix Stanley accompanied by Mr. A.D. Crombie, Private Secretary and Sir Charles Buchanan, Military Secretary, were received by the Swamijis of the Math at the gate and conducted to the dais. At the dais, Sir P.S. Sivaswami Iyer introduced Sreemad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj, the president Acharyya of the Shree Krishna Chaitanya Mission to His Excellency and Lady Beatrix Stanley. Then His Excellency and others were garlanded.

After prayer, an address of welcome was presented by Pandit Atul Chandra Banerji, secretary of the Mission, enclosed in a beautiful silver casket made by Messrs. Veecumsee Chabildess and sons, Madras.

Sree Tridandi Swami B.H. Bon Maharaj then introduced Mr. T. Ponnirulu Pillai, Railway Contractor who has promised to construct the Lecture Hall free as his voluntary contribution to the Mission, to H.E. the Governor and Lady Beatrix Stanley, after which, the Guru Acharyya of the Mission blessed Mr. Pillai and presented him with prasadams of flower.

His Excellency the Governor then, at the request of the President of the Mission laid the foundation stone of the Lecture Hall amidst loud cheers and spoke as follows:

His Excellency's Speech

It is not often during a Governor's term of office that he has the opportunity of presiding at a function under the auspices of a religion other than his own, and it is therefore with the greater pleasure that Lady Beatrix Stanley and I have come here this evening for the laying of the foundation stone of the 'See Krishna Hall' of the Madras Gaudiya Math. I have heard with considerable interest what the objects and activities of your Society are and although, we may differ in the means by which we approach the end, there can be no doubt that the objects of your Maths viz, service to God and the brotherhood of man, are universal to all the great religious and can be supported by members of every creed.

The claim and lofty thinking which religion inculcates was never more needed than at the present time. The world is but slowly recovering from the effects of a disastrous war and the economic depression which follows in its train For most people these are difficult days.

In spite of the very short time in which the Mission has been established in Madras, it has obviously made great headway; it has attracted many influential men to its flood and has succeeded in finding a permanent site on which to expand. I congratulate you on the energy of your moving spirit in Madras, Tridandi Swami B.H. Bon to whose untiring efforts you will, I feel sure, agree that most of the success is due. Our congratulations are also due to Mr. T. Ponnirulu Pillai who has at a time of depression shown his public spirit by generously agreeing to erect free of cost the Lecture Hall the foundation stone of which I have just laid.

Lastly I wish to say what a great pleasure it is to me to meet today the spiritual head of the Mission, the President Acharyya and I pray that His work and that of all the members of the Mission may be blessed by the Divine grace which inspires them and that they may ever progress towards their object of bringing peace to India and all mankind.

Dewan Bahadur G. Narayanaswami Chettiar proposed a vote of thanks to H.E. and Lady Beatrix Stanley and after a short speech of thanks given to the sympathizers and patrons of local Math By Tridandi Swami B.H. Bon, the function terminated with prayer and 'Harinamasamkirtanam.'