Directory of Samajes - Bombay

Bombay.--         Estd. 3 Ist March  1867.
The Bombay Prarthana Samaj, Churni Road, Girgaum, Bombay.
Secretaries:-- Mr. D. G. Vaidya,  
V. Y. Kashalkar, M.A.L.L.B.
Chnrni Road Girgaum.   

Members:—155 of whom about 50 reside oat of Bombay and about 60 are       Annsthanic.                    •
Meetings:—Sunday 5-30 p. m. divine services are conducted alternately by Sir N. G. Chandavarkar, Prof. S. B. Bhandarkar, Mr. V. R. Shinde and others. Saturday 4-30 p. m *Arya Mahila Samaj. 'Wednesday 6-30 p. m. Young Theists’ Union’s Prayer Meeting. The Managing Committee meets at least once a month and the General Body at least once a year.
Mandlr:-- There is a fairly large prayer hall 63 ft. by 35 ft. with a portico and office room above it; it can accom­modate about 700 persons. The rules for the use of this hall are very nearly the same as those for the original Mandir built by Rajah Ram Mohan Roy at Calcutta. The foundation Stone was laid by Mr. Pratap Chandra Muzumdar on the 9th of December 1872, and the hall was formally opened on the 26th of April 1874.
Trustees:—Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar, C. I. E., L.L. D., Rao Saheb W. G. Bhandarkar, Sir N. G. Chandavarkar, Shet Darmodardas G. Sukhadwala, Prof.  S. R. Bhandarkar.
Anniversary:—Was formerly celebrated on the 31st of March on which the Samaj was founded. But since the preval­ence of plague in Bombay from 1896, it is being celebrat­ed about the last week of September, inoluding 27th of Sep­tember which is the anniversary of the death of Rajah Ram Mohun Ray and is duly celebrated. The special features of this anniversary are (1) that on one of the evenings generally two or three divines or scholars belonging to the several established religions of the world are invited to deliver addresses on the lives of the saints of their own choice belonging to their respective religions, and that (2) at the end of the Anniversary a feast called Pritibhojan, i. e. Love-feast is given generally by some member of the Samaj and is partaken of by the whole community including ladies and children, and also by some close sympathisers.

Organ:—The ‘‘Subodh-Patrica,” an Anglo-Marathi -weekly paper started in 1873 and now edited by Messrs. D. G. Vaidya and Y. V. Bhandarkar. Rs. 1/13 per year including postage.
                           
Finances:—As a rule every member of the Samaj has to pay
2 p. c. of his income as his monthly subacription to the Samaj. Besides the General Fund consisting of these subscriptions and other donations, there are the following funds under the control of the Samaj.
Fund Balance on 31st March 1910.
Table (For PDF click here)