GOALPARA, Feb 3 � The 43rd annual function of the Goalpara chapter of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math that commenced from January 31 concluded on February 2 with abhishek (bathing) ceremony of the deities, namely Sri Guru Gauranga Radha Damodar Jiu.
The first day was marked by religious meetings where the chief guest Kirti Das, District Adult Education Officer along with the founder and the present president Acharya of the organisation, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj on the chair and the secretary Bhakti Saurabh Archarya Maharaj took part in the religious discourses which was attended by hundreds of devotees.
The second day was marked by a nagar sankirtan and ratha yatra (cart festival) procession which was taken out through the streets of Goalpara town in which about 1000 exuberant devotees took part and danced in ecstasy with the melodious and rhythmic beats of cymbals, gongs, mridangas and other musical instruments while singing �Haribol� and �Hare Krishna�.
On the concluding day abhishek of the deities was performed. On February 3, the president Acharya of the organisation paid a visit to his holy birthplace at JN Road in Goalpara town and addressed a huge gathering of devotees there which was then followed by prasadam distribution.
Meanwhile, in one of his discourses, the president Acharya addressed the assembled devotees as: �We are not idolaters. We are worshippers of the deity form (Archa-avatar) of the Lord. The scriptures describe that the Lord is formless (nirakar), but He has form (sakar); the Lord is without qualities (nirvishesh), but possesses all qualities (savishesh). These apparently contradictory statements are reconciled in other advanced literatures �The negation indicates the rejection of material form and qualities and positive assertion indicates the existence of transcendental form and qualities.� The Omnipotent Lord in order to give direct service to His devotees assumes the form of a deity (Archa-avatar) and brings all-auspiciousness to everyone.�
Talking to this Correspondent, the present president Acharya of the organisation said that after completing his post graduate in Philosophy from Gauhati University he got attracted by the spiritual personality of Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhav Goswami Maharaj, the Founder of the institute, in one of the meetings that saw him becoming an active and a favourite disciple of the entourage of Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math after taking initiation and shelter at his feet.
He also informed that he started preaching the message of Divine Love by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and established Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Maths at Guwahati, Tezpur, Goalpara and Sarbhog. He added that he propagated that Hari Nama Sankirtan is the only means that can bestow highest welfare and bring peace and harmony in the entire universe.
Moreover, Prahlad, a senior devotee who accompanied the president Acharya said that he preached extensively in different parts of India and the world, including countries like America, Europe, Russia, England, Australia etc spreading the divine message of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu irrespective of caste, colour or creed.
Meanwhile, the present president Acharya of the organisation, who took birth in 1924 and spent his entire childhood and part of his adolescence in Goalpara, arrived in the town on January 30 and presided over the 3-day annual function that saw thousands of local as well as outstation devotees thronging the Math to seek darshan and blessings of a great spiritual leader. Moreover, the secretary of the organisation thanked all the people of the town for the smooth conduct and active participation during the 3-day religious function.
