Mr. P. L. SETHI
It is with great sorrow that we announce the departure of Mr. P. L. Sethi, one of the first devotees in Mumbai who assisted Srila Prabhupada in the ISKCON Juhu project. He departed from this world on February 16. He was 88.
Mr. Sethi was a building contractor and met Srila Prabhupada in 1971 and immediately became a life member. When the municipality and some envious people attempted to thwart the Juhu project, Sethiji stood as a main soldier to protect the construction of the temple and the devotees. Later, Srila Prabhupada requested Sethiji to build some rooms for the devotees. While he was doing so, Srila Prabhupada told him, “Just as you are building rooms for the devotees, Krishna is building rooms for you in Goloka dhama.” He continued to engage all his assets and his family members in Srila Prabhupada’s mission throughout his life. It was in the presence of all the devotees, singing sweet kirtana that Sethiji peacefully left this world, having completed all his duties.
PURI MAHARAJ
The Vaishnava community is deeply aggrieved at the passing away of Srila Bhaktivaibhava Puri Maharaja on 3 March 2009. He was 96.
Born in Orissa, he was active in Mahatma Gandhi’s independence movement, before taking initiation from srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura in 1936. In 1966 he accepted sannyasa and formed the sri Krishna Caitanya Mission, which has branches both in India and abroad.
Puri Maharaja had a deep relationship with ISKCON founder srila Prabhupada, and would speak every year on the occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance day festival at ISKCON Vrindavana.
Puri Maharaja was a tireless teacher of Sri Caitanya’s mission and will be deeply missed.