Bristol:
The city of Bristol in the UK on Sunday paid tributes to the life and times of Indian social reformer Raja Rammohun Roy, who died in Bristol on September 27, 1833.
Chris Davies, Lord Mayor of Bristol, led a service at the tomb where Rammohun Roy's remains are interred. The service was attended by several people from across Britain, including members of the Brahmo Samaj, London.
Davies recalled that the local council has been honouring the memory of Rammhoun Roy every year for the last 76 years, and him intricate Indian-style tomb was a symbol of close links between Bristol and India.
Jitender Kumar, first secretary (Community Affairs), represented the Indian high commission in London. Carla Contractor, a local historian who has worked for over two decades to preserve and cherish Rammohun Roy's legacy in Bristol, recalled his many achievements and qualities of head and heart.
The service included renditions of Rabindranath Tagore's poetry and prayers by the local Unitarian church. It was recalled that Rammohun Roy called himself a 'Hindu Unitarian'.
Roy came to England in 1831. However, 10 days after arriving in Bristol, he fell ill with meningitis and died on 27 September 1833. His remains lie buried in the sylvan Arnos Vale cemetery on the outskirts of the city. The tomb is covered by a canopy ('chhatri'), which has become a prominent symbol of the cemetery.