Temples of India-2: "Sri Ramakrishna Temple at Belur Math"

Photo courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/saubhanik/2157848976/
Grateful thanks to Saubhanik and Flickr for permitting to share the above photo.

Detailed Wikipedia article on "BELUR MATH":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belur_Math

Official Website of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission:
http://www.belurmath.org/home.htm

I was initiated as a householder disciple by Srimat Swami Gahananandaji Maharaj, the then Vice President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, when he visited the Ramakrishna Math, Madurai, for laying the foundation stone for the temple there. There was no planning on my part. It just happened. Must be my good fortune. I was sincerely doing spiritual practices and my spiritual fervour was growing. I have been reading Sri Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Literature since many years, especially The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. A desire arose in me to the places mentioned in The Gospel and closely associated with Sri Ramakrishna. So I wrote a letter to my Guruji. Within a few days I received a telegram from him. As he was going to Bangladesh for flood relief work, he advised to visit after his return to Kolkata. He has mentioned the date of his return to Kolkata. I immediately reserved my train tickets. With the help of Srimat Swami Chidghananandaji Maharaj, the then President of the Ramakrishna Math, Madurai, I got accommodation in Belur Math Guest House for 9 days. I decided that it would be a spiritual trip essentially.

As per plan I left for Belur Math and when I reached there I was given shared accommodation in the Belur Math Guest House. After putting my things in the room, I went to the PCO inside the Math and called my Guruji and told him of my safe arrival. He asked me what was the purpose of my visit. I told him that I had come to recharge myself spiritually. Then he told me that he would be visiting Belur Math for a meeting the next day and asked me to meet him through the caretaker of the guest house. My Guruji was then the head of the Ramakrishna Yogodyan Math at Kankurgachchi, Kolkata.

The next day, the caretaker came and asked me to accompany him to meet my Guruji. I met my Guruji, fell at his feet and received his blessings. After conversing with me, he asked to go over to his place at Kankurgachchi. He gave me directions of how to reach the place.

I went to Kankurgachchi Math and met Mukti Maharaj (I do not know his monastic name), Manager of the Math. I told him of my desire to visit places associated with Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda. Later I repeated the same to my Guruji also. He made all arrangements and took great care of me.

During my stay at Belur Math, I regularly attended the morning and evening bhajans and the special pujas. The very sight of the mammoth temple shown above filled my heart with happiness. I found the calm, serene and holy atmosphere soul-stirring and elevating.

To be continued.

Grateful thanks to the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.