Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Swami's last wish

suchandra · October 20, 2006

A peace bridge across NH 150! </B>

IMPHAL, Oct 19: Even though the SPF government has been missing datelines on the BT Road flyover time and again, the devotees and disciples of the late Swami Damodar of ISKCON are planning to build a Peace Bridge across NH 150, connecting the two complexes of ISKCON, by November 2007.

"This was one of the last wishes of his holiness Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Swami Sripada. He personally told me about this on 1st October. He wanted to build this Peace Bridge in memory of the 6 innocent people who lost their lives on 16th August, on the Janmasthami day, due to the bomb blast," said Radhamohan Das, secretary URI (United Religion Initiative).

It may be recalled that the religious leader died on 2nd October at Bhajankutir, Kolkata and was rested in samadhi at Radhakunda on 4th October. Recounting the personal grief Swami Damodar went through after the ISKCON bomb blast that left many injured and 6 dead, including a nine years old and an eleven years old, Radhamohan said, "Our Swami did not die of the bomb splinter but from shock. The shock of losing 6 innocent lives so abruptly and unreasonably was responsible for his disappearance from this world."

Saying that the Swami wanted to build a Peace Bridge connecting the eastern and western complexes of ISKCON, across the NH 150, in memory of those 6 lives, Radhamohan said his disciples and devotees are seriously planning to carry out "what our Guruji desired".

He said that the bridge will be in the form of a flyover. Earlier the state government during the chief ministership of W Nupamacha had plan of building a flyover at the same place but it never materialized said Radhamohan.

"We have sought government help and we will request through the concerned department of the Manipur government to the central government to permit the smooth construction of the Peace Bridge. We will try to finish and inaugurate by November 2007," said Radhamohan to this writer.

Stating that Swami Damodar, who was trained as a scientist and also known as Dr TD Singh, wanted to have a scientific and spiritual quest essay competition and students` conference on the need for a balanced growth of scientific temper and spiritual wisdom, Radhamohan said this wish of the Swami will be carried out soon at Puri and interested students and persons can submit their application at ISKCON before November 1.