Maha Lakshmi Vidya Bhavan Maha Lakshmi Vidya Bhavan

cherished the informal religious meetings held in their
homes on the first Saturday of every month. In 1982, four
resolute devotees Shri Bankim Gossai, Shri Ramesh
Charan, Shri Moti Sukhlal, and Shri Y.N. Singh formed what
they called a ‘Cottage Service’ as it was a small and informal
fellowship. The format of a small Pooja, Havan and
reading from the Ramayana was very similar to the present
service we experience in Maha Lakshmi Vidya Bhavan now.
By 1986, the original core of about twenty-five grew to
about sixty dedicated followers. Numbers had grown
beyond expectations and meeting in homes became difficult.
It became necessary to find a regular venue.
Monthly Satsang in Tooting
In 1988, the group moved to Tooting Boys Scouts Hall for a
nominal rent. Monthly Satsang was formalised. Services
were in the evening from 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm. All the parvs
like Holi, Krishna Janamasthmi and Divali etc. were celebrated.
On 7th May 1991 Maha Lakshmi Satsang became a
Charitable Trust while at Tooting and Rameshji’s house was
given as the official headquarters. No one had even
dreamt of having a Mandir but it seemed beneficial to give
an official name and make it into a Charitable Trust. But
for a trust to be registered there was this fear that a hierarchy
of office bearers could lead to unnecessary discord.
No one wanted that. Fortunately, when Bankim Ji and
Rameshji went to the Charity Commission the advice given
by the officer in charge saved their worries. He suggested
that an organisation could be registered by Trust Deed with
Trustees to manage the organisation. This advice saved the
day. Their wish came true. There were no office bearers.
The Charity was registered by Trust Deed with four trustees,
Shri Bankim Gossai, Shri Ramesh Charan, Shri Jaichand
Dyal and Shri Chandramohun Tacouri.
The Early Years – Celebrating our 6th Anniversary at Hindu Centre, Chalk Farm
By 1994 it became clear that Maha Lakshmi Satsang could
not continue in rented accommodation. Once the idea of a
permanent home was born, search started to find a suitable
location.
The money (Aarti and Dakshna) collected from Poojas and
Satsangs was a good basis to start with but more had to be
raised. Letters were posted on Divali 1997 to 750 companies
and 100 richest Indians in UK. Only two cheques of
£25 and £15 arrived and that too from English companies.
Many had doubts and other Hindu Societies could not
understand the need for another mandir. Little did they
know that this mandir had evolved naturally from the devotion
of families!
There were now about 200 loyal devotees. Concerts were
organised and children participated in fund raising events.
Priya was only 3 years old when she sang and danced in her
first concert. Now I can see the involvement and dedication
of the children. They had been part of the fund raising
process. Children had not only earned their place in the
Mandir but it was as much their Mandir as that of the
grownups.
A Methodist Church Hall was located in Penge but Bromley
Council refused permission for conversion to a Mandir.
Other areas such as Croydon, Peckham and Mitcham were
considered but were not suitable, the search continued. As
chance would have it, in 1999, Shri Rasik Morjaria, an
Optician was treating a patient who happened to be a
Pentecostal Minister. He mentioned the Church Hall in
Honor Oak but said they could not afford to buy it. Rasik Ji
with his wife Indu Ji and Ramesh Ji went to see it. It was a
freehold property for £165,000 and was just perfect. The
vision of our own Mandir came true when the site was purchased
on 9th September 1999 (9.9.99).
It was decided to open the Mandir the following month in
October 1999. The Worship Hall was bare with only one picture
of Maha Lakshmi and small Murtis of the main deities
decorated on a small podium of steps. Time was short but
1982-2007 SILVER JUBILEE 21