A day in Kolkata
We visited Ramakrishna mutt Belur in the morning after breakfast.
Sri Ramakrishna Temple at Belur Math, Kolkata
Headquarter of the Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math (aka Belur Mutt) is located near the Hooghly River and spread across forty acres of land. Fusion of Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist and Christian styles of architecture, the Math stands proud as a symbol of secularism. A visit to the Belur Math fills ones soul with contentment and peace.
Belur Math Complex:
The Math complex comprises of what, for lack of a better word, can only be called temples. It consist further of museums, a shrine a library and a monastery. Following are the details:
Sri Ramakrishna Temple – Enshrining the relics of Sri Ramakrishna, this is the main temple in the Belur Math.
Swami Brahmananda Temple – This temple was built over the spot where Swami Brahmananda (one of the sixteen disciples of Sri Ramakrishna) was cremated.
Swami Vivekananda Temple – It is constructed over the place where mortal remains of Swami Vivekananda were cremated.
Samadhi Enclosure – Here the remains of seven out sixteen disciples of Swami Vivekananda were cremated.
Holy Mother Temple or the Temple of Sri Sarda Devi
Old Shrine – Here daily prayers were offered till the new temple (Ramakrishna Temple) was consecrated.
Room of Swami Vivekananda – This is the room where Swami Vivekananda lived and attained Mahasamadhi.
Old Math
Ramakrishna Museum – The museum preserves and exhibits articles that were used by Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Holy Mother Sri Sarda Devi.
The place is different than any other place of worship where one is expected to just sit and meditate. There is no ritualistic offering made, no flowers or sweets put on offer. The silence that envelops the place is the most important feature of the Belur Math.
For more details
From there by 10 am we travelled to Dakshineshwara Kaali temple by boat .
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was Blessed to have her Darshan everyday from his quarters across the temple & stands testimony to her name Bhabhatarini (as in Bangla)one who liberates her devotee from Samsara Sagara indeed a benevolent Goddess showering her grace on all. It is said Ramakrishna used to talk with the Goddess as His mother and the Goddess replies to Him .
The temple was overcrowded it took nearly a hour for us to succeed after having the divine sight of the Goddess , we took lunch break .
After lunch we visited Victoria Memorial .
Then by evening we had the divine dharshan of the Kalighat Kali .
Kalighat Kali Temple in West Bengal, India dedicated to the Goddess Kali. It is one of the Shakti Peethas. Goddess Kali is worshipped as a manifestation of Devi Sati. Devi Sati’s right toes fell in the Kalighat shrine. There is also a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva worshipped as Nakulesh in lingam form nearby. Culcutta/Kolkatta gets its name from Kalighat.
The temple was earlier located on the banks of the Adi Ganga River. The river has moved away from the temple over a period of time. Thus the temple is now on the banks of a canal called as Adi Ganga connecting Hoogly.
Kalighat is regarded as one of the Shakti Peethas of India, where the various parts of Sati’s body are said to have fallen, in the course of Shiva’s Rudra Tandava. Kalighat represents the site where the toes of the right foot of Dakshayani or Sati fell.
Legend has it that a devotee discovered a luminant ray of light coming from the Bhagirathi river bed, and upon investigating its source came upon a piece of stone carved in the form of a human toe.
He also found a Swayambhu Lingam of Nakuleshwar Bhairav nearby, and started worshipping Kali in the midst of a thick jungle.
Kalighat is also associated with the worship offered to Kali by a Dasanami Monk by name Chowranga Giri, and the Chowringee area of Calcutta is said to have been named after him.
The Kalighat temple in its present form is only about 200 years old, although it has been referred to in Mansar Bhasan composed in the 15th century, and in Kavi Kankan Chandi of the 17th century. The original temple was a small hut. A small temple was constructed by King Manasingha in the early 16th century.
The present temple was erected under the patronage of the Kaliprasad Dutta of Hatkhola Dutta Bari with the help of Santosh Roy Chaudhury of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family of Barisha.
Halder family of kalighat is called the ‘sebadas’ of this temple In the 1960s a committee was formed for the administrative management of the temple with representation from the Government.
The image of Kali in this temple is unique. It does not follow the pattern of other Kali images in Bengal. The present idol of touchstone was created by two saints – Brahmananda Giri and Atmaram Giri. Three huge eyes, long protruding tongue made of gold and four hands, which all are made of gold too. Two of these hands holding a scimitar and a severed head of the asura king ‘Shumbha’.
The scimitar signifies Divine Knowledge and the asura (or, human) head signifies human Ego which must be slain by Divine Knowledge in order to attain Moksha.
The other two hands are in the abhaya and varada mudras or blessings, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshiping her with a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and hereafter.
There is a large rectangular covered platform called Natmondir, adjacent to the main temple, from where the face of the image can be seen.
Jor-bangla is a spacious varandah of the main temple, facing the image. One can see the rituals inside the sanctum sanctorum from the Natmondir through the Jor-bangla.
There is a rectangular altar called Sosthi Tala which is about three feet high, with a small cactus plant. Below the tree, there are three stones placed on an altar, representing the Goddesses Sosthi, Sitola and Mongol Chandi. This holy spot is known as Sosthi Tala or Monosha Tala. These Goddesses are considered as part of Maa Kali.
To the south of Natmondir is the Harkath Tala which is used for Bhali (sacrifice). Located on the west side of the main temple is the Radha-Krishna Temple. It is known as Shamo-ray temple.
Kundupukur is the sacred tank situated in the south-east of the temple. It is said that that during the sixteenth century, ‘Sati-Ango’ (the right toe of Sati) was discovered from this tank.
Ceremonial bath is given to mother on snanyatra day. During the time, priests tie their eyes with cloth. The temple is crowded during Kali Puja, Durga Puja, Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year day and Sankranti.
The temple is open from 5.00 A.M. to 2.00 P.M and 5.00 P.M to 10.30 P.M. It is closed from 2.00 P.M to 5.00 P.M. for Bhog.
Opening Time: (For Mongal Aarti) 4.00 A.M. There are Aarthis in the morning and evening.
There are many Buses moving from the station towards Hazra or Kalighat or Rashbehari. You can go Kalighat from any part of calcutta by Bus or Taxi.
Howrah and Sealdah are the two major railway stations in Kolkata. These stations are well connected to all the major cities in India.
The Metro rail system in Kolkata connects all the main junctions of Kolkata. It is the fastest way to reach the different parts of the city.
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