Gopal Chandra Ghosh (1939-2008)

Today the Sampradaya Sun reported the passing away of Sripad Gopal Chandra Ghosh, a disciple of Sri Advaita Das Babaji of Govardhan.

Gopal Ghoshji was in charge of the Vrindavan Research Institute, just next to Kṛṣṇa Balarām Mandir in Vrindāvan, for many years and tirelessly informed all Vaiṣṇavas about the pūrva puruṣas of their lineage, as he did with me too. In late February/early March 2004 he spoke for more than an hour in Bengali on Sādhu Bābā, Ānanda Gopāl Gosvāmī Dādu and Sādhu Bābā's brothers on a recorder I borrowed from my friend Acyutānanda, recordings I later transcribed and included in the hagiographies of Sādhu Bābā and Ānanda Gopāl Gosvāmī on www.madangopal.com. He was very sharp and immediately understood all the hints I gave him during the interview, in the bud. The picture here on this blog is how he looked and where he sat when he gave me the interview.

Gopal Ghosh lived near Brahma Kuṇḍa in northern Vṛndāvana, but unfortunately I never went to his house to enjoy his hospitality. We thus lost another member of a generation of Vaiṣṇavas that is heading more and more towards extinction. His contribution is fondly remembered.