THEISTIC DIRECTORY - Bangal- 14

Contai. Dt. Midnapore. Estd. April 1870.
Contai Brahma Samaj, Contai, Bengal.

Secretary: - Babu Tarachand Bera, Contai.
Members: - 29 Anusthanic. 13 Non- anusthanic.
Sympathisers:—25.
Meetings: 1. Regular Divine Service on Sunday.
2. Regular Sangat Sabha on Wednesday.
3. Meeting of the Mahila Samiti (Ladies’ Associa­tion) on every alternate Saturday. All meetings are usually conducted in Bengalee.
Mandir:—The Samaj has a pucca mandir of its own conse­crated in 1886.
Institutions :—( 1) Sangat Sabha holds its Meeting every Wednesday.
(2) There is a Lady’s Association held every fortnight.
Minister:- Babu Taraka Gopal Ghose, b. a.
Celebrations.—The Maghostav and Bhadrostov are observed as also the death anniversaries of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Babu K. C. Sen.
Funds:—Each member has to pay a minimum subscription of Rs. 8 a year. The Samaj earns an annual income of Rs. 60 from land which was given over by Babus Rathakriahna Maiti and Tarachand Pal. Collections are also made for the Utsav.
There are three funds(1) Samaj Fund. (2) Building Fund. (3) Utsav Fund.

The Contai Samaj has the four following Prayer Unions in the different villages near Contai, affiliated to it:—
1. Prayer Union of Chandiveti.
Secretary:—Babu Narendra Nath Sasmal, Chandiveti. Deulbar B. P. O. via Midnapore,
2. Prayer Union of Duhagara.
Secretary:—Babu Radha Krishta Maity, Duhagara, Basantia B. P. 0. via Midnapore.
3. Prayer Union of Bhabunichak.
Secretary:—Babu Biswambhar Dinda, Bhobanicliak, Deulbar B. P. O. via Midnapore.
4.Prayer Union of Balia.

Secretary:—Baboo Kshetra Mohan Maity, Balia Sankarpur, Deulbar B. P. O., via Midnapore.
Cooch-Behar.    Estd. 1870
(I) The Cooch-Behar Brahma Samaj.
Asstt. Secretary:— Babu Rajani Kanta Chakravati.
Meetings:—Weekly divine service in Bengalee.
Mandir:—The old Mandir was demolished by the earthquake at1897. A new one was constructed at a cost of Rs. 1,800 most of which was contributed by Rai Bahadur Kalika Das Dutt, C. I. E., President of the Samaj.
History:—Rai Kalika Das Dutt Bahadur who was from child­hood under Brahmo influences came here in 1869 as Dewan. In 1874 Babu Bijoy Krishna Goswami, the late Missionary of the Bharata Varshiya Brahma Samaj visited the place at the instance of Rai Kalika Das Dutt Bahadur, C. I. E., the present Dewan of Cooch-Behar and Rai Jadu Chander Chakravarti Bahadur, the Retired Civil and Sessions Judge of Cooch-Behar established a Brahma Samaj here with about fourteen sympathising members. They built a thatched house for worship, which was burnt after two years. After this the Samaj service was stopped for 4 years until the building was reconstructed. In 1878 the Cooch-Behar marriage took place. In 1886 another Samaj the present New Dispensation Samaj of Cooch-Behar was establish­ed at the instance of the Maharaja and the Maharani of Cooch-Behar.
Cooch-Behar. Estd- 15th August 1886.
(2) Cooch-Behar New Dispensation Brahma Samaj, Cooch-Behar.
President:—H. H. the Maharajah Sir Nripendra Narayen Bhup Bahadur, G. C. I. E., C. B., of Cooch-Behar is the head of the Church.
Secretary:—Kumar Gajendra Narayen (senior), Bar-at-law, Savitri Lodge, Cooch-Behar.
Members:— Anusthanic 58, Non-Anusthanic 12 total 70. Sympathisers, 40.
Meetings:—Five meetings are held every week in Bengalee.
Mandir:—The Samaj has a building of its own, the finest in the whole of India consecrated in April 1887.
Minister:—1. Babu Durga Nath Rai, Resident Minister. 2. Babu Troyloco Nath Das, Lay Minister.
Institutions:—1. Brahma Niketan.
2. Brahma Library. 3. Sangat Sabha. 4. Arya Nari Samaj, H. H. Maharani takes active part in it.
Funds:—The state grants Rs. 5,000 annually to this Samaj.
Celebrations:—The principal (Samaj) day is the 18th of April. The Samaj observes the 15th August and the Maghostav (11th day). These three days are observ­ed as holidays throughout the State.Preaching to the prisoners in Jail every Sunday morning is one of the special features of the Samaj.