Guru Gour Gobinda Swami Maharaj was born on September 2, 1929 in the village of Jagannathpur in Jagatsinghpur district and died on February 9, 1996 while addressing devotees at a conference in West Bengal.
His mother’s name was Pata Mahadei and father’s name Iswar Chandra Manik. His childhood name was Brajabandhu. As morning sows the day, his quality was shown from the childhood.
He was so talented that he analyzed Gita, Bhagabata, Chaitanya Charitamruta at the age of 8 and gave very nice lecture to the assembled villagers in the evening in his village temple. He continued his high school level study in his uncle’s house at Gadeigiri at the age of 13.
His two uncles Jagannath Giri and Gopinath Giri took care of his studies. He began his career as a teacher for maintaining his family.
He passed with distinction in undergraduate degree in 1958 and post graduate degree in 1961. He married Basanti Debi, daughter of Kalyan Nandi of Patakura area, in 1953 and started his family life. later, he left the materialist life and took to Sanyas. He resigned from the Government service and left his house. He took a darshan of the main deity of uncle’s house, Gopal Jew, and took his permission and left the house on April 10, 1974. He declared himself Gour Gopal instead of Brajabandhu. He started to travel from city to city all over India and inquired about his spiritual Guru. At last, he arrived at Brundaban. He visited many temples and spiritual organisations at Brundaban. At last, he met founder of Iskcon Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. Swami Prabhupad accepted him as his disciple and directed him to translate book ‘Back to Godhead’ in Hindi language. Prabhupad was satisfied with his translation and his depth is Hindi literature. He directed him to go to Hyderabad and translate his writings in English to Hindi language.
As per his direction, Gurudev proceeded to Mayapur. Prabhupad gave Harinam initiation and changed his name from Gour Gopal to “Gour Govinda”. Only after four months, Prabhupad gave him Brahmin initiation and directed him to stay at Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar and construct a new temple there in the donated land of Chhabi Kanungo and continue his preaching programme there. Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir was inaugurated at Vrindaban during the year 1975. On the same tithi Prabhupad declared him Gour Govinda Swami instead of Gour Govinda Das.
His preaching programme in Krishna consciousness spread internationally. He travelled to the US, England, USSR, Canada, Western countries, South Africa, Australia, Indonesia and so many other countries. Travelling various important cities of India, he created thousands and thousands of followers and devotees. He constructed the lotus Temple in the premises of Iskcon, Bhubaneswar and installed the deity Radha Gopinath there and a new image to Iskcon, Bhubaneswar.
He took so many miracle projects and started some amazing work during the year 1996. He started a Gosala and a farm project at Atala, Jagannathpur which is 14 km away from Iskcon, Bhubaneswar, where he proposed to keep 108 cows. He started a fassi project at Dasapalla forest in the district which is essentially meant for construction of chariot for the Car festival at lord Jagannath, Puri and he also started Dandabhanga project at Puri district. He organised Hare Krishna Utsav for three days in the Exhibition Ground, Bhubaneswar where international devotees, intellectuals of Iskcon participated.
The question and reply programme of Maharaj was most attractive one. Many questions were asked to the Maharaj about activities of Iskcon and Maharaj boldly answered. He also modernised the Allarnath temple at Brahmagiri of Puri district.
On February 9, 1996 at 6.45 pm while replying to the questions of disciples of Srila Prabhupad on the holy Appearance day tithi of Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur at Mayapur in West Bengal, he had his Mahaprayan.
(The writer is State PRO, Iskcon)