Born as Gadadhar Chattopadhyay in the quiet village of Kamarpukur, he would be revered as Thakur Ramkrishna or Ramkrishna Paramahamsa. His simple words and humorous stories conveyed a depth that resonated even with the most skeptical minds.
This Blog will help you plan a trip. It covers the important places linked to Ramkrishna Paramahamsa, Sarada Ma, and Swami Vivekananda. With Kolkata as your base you can cover these places in a few days. Most people visit Dakshineswar, Belur Math & Kalighat – but there is lots more.
Kamarpukur & Joyrambati – Birth Place
Kolkata – Kamarpukur is 100 Km. Drive time is around 3 – 4 hours. Joyrambati is a short 7 Km drive from Kamarpukur.
Kamarpukur is the birth place of Ramkrishna and Joyrambati of Sarada Ma. Both these centres are now managed by the Ramkrishna Math. They have beautifully preserved the birth place, ancestral home, family deities and associated spaces. The food they serve is a feast. But it is first come first served basis – limited coupons. Accommodation in the Ashram is difficult to get and gets sold out months in advance. The villages have basic hotels. I would recommend you plan to reach by 4 PM. Attend the evening Aarti in one of the places. The next day morning visit the other location and collect your Prasad coupon. Have a good Darshan, and leave after the Prasad lunch.
Dakshineswar
This is where Ramkrishna spent most of his life as a priest. It is located in North Kolkata, 12 Km from Central Kolkata. Traveling by car during the day takes 60 – 90 minutes. I have always visited the temple at 6 AM in the morning when it opens. Crowds are less at that time. The drive time then is less than 30 minutes. Again there are no good hotels in the temple vicinity. Cell phones and shoes are not allowed inside the temple complex. Leave them in the car or at a kiosk near the temple entrance. Don’t miss the small bedroom where Ramkrishna spent most of his time. It is a highly energized space. It’s now not accessible to the public, but you can see from outside through glass windows. Visit the temple and the 12 Jyotirlingas. Walk along the bank of the Hooghly river. Soak in the energy of this divine place. Budget 60 – 90 minutes.
Shyampukur Bati (8 Km from Central Kolkata)
This is the house where Ramkrishna stayed for 70 days in 1885 before moving to Cossipore. He was ailing and Ma Sarada with all his disciples stayed in this house. This house was acquired and renovated by the Ramkrishna Math in 2010. The house is located in the heart of N Kolkata midst narrow bye lanes. You will need to ask around to find the place.
Kashipur Udyanbati (Cossipore) ( 3.5 Km from Shyampukur Bati – roughly midway between Daksineshwar and Shyampukur Bati)
Sri Ramakrishna spent the last days of his mortal life here. His disciples rented a large house with a garden a short distance away from Shyampukur Bati. Between Dec 11 – 1885 and Aug 16 – 1886 he stayed here. This place was quiet, had a beautiful garden and was more spacious.
It is here that on January 1 – 1886 (Kalpataru day) He revealed Himself to be an Avatara. This is a large well maintained, serene garden house. Unlike Belur Math and Dakshineswar which see large crowds this place is relatively empty on normal days.
Kalighat (S Kolkata)
Ramakrishna visited the Kalighat temple – an important Shakti Peeth. He had a spiritual experience where he saw the Mother Goddess Kali as a virgin girl playing by the pond. Later at the temple he saw the Goddess dressed in the same dress. he also encountered a priest who kicked him – but out of compassion chose to protect him and asked his nephew also not to narrate the incident.
Reliance foundation has undertaken a significant renovation of the temple in 2024. It is crowded and there are many middlemen who will try to make a quick buck. Best time to visit towards the end of the day before closing.
Belur Math
Located on the other side of the Ganges exactly opposite to Dakshineswar, this is the HQ of the Ramkrishna Mission. It also houses the Samadhi Mandir of Ramkrishna, Sarada Ma, Swami Vivekananda and others. A beautiful museum in the complex highlights the life of Ramkrishna and is a must visit. A well maintained, well laid out complex you can easily spend a few hours at Belur Math. For the Bhog Prasad, first collect a lunch coupon. Do this at the designated office before lunch. Lunch typically starts around 11:30 AM. The coupon itself is free. Visitors are welcome to donate any amount they wish at the office when they collect it. The meal is a delicious offering served to many devotees in a community setting
To finish your circuit there are 2 more places that you must visit and these are linked with Swami Vivekananda.
Birthplace of Swami Vivekananda
105 Vivekananda Road / 3 Gourmohan Mukherjee Street in Kolkata is the historic ancestral home of Swami Vivekananda. It is now a museum and cultural center. This center is operated by the Ramakrishna Mission. This site served as the birthplace of Swami Vivekananda (born Narendranath Datta) on January 12, 1863, and his life and teachings are celebrated and preserved within this location
1st Monastery of the Ramkrishna order – Baranagar
After the Samadhi of Ramakrishna in 1886, his young disciples were led by Swami Vivekananda. They assembled for the first time in a dilapidated house in Baranagar, North Kolkata. Their purpose was to form their monastic brotherhood. This was the first Ramakrishna Math. The disciples had cared for their ailing Master at a garden house in Cossipore during his final months. They came together to lead a life of renunciation. They did this as a unified monastic order. It was here that they formally took their monastic vows in January 1887.
If time permits, visit Balaram Mandir. An ashram named ‘Balaram Mandir’ began in 1922. It was established in the house of Sri Balaram Basu. He was a chief disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. The place has been sanctified by numerous visits of Sri Ramakrishna, his disciples, and Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. It was here that Swami Vivekananda inaugurated the Ramakrishna Mission Association on May 1, 1897.
You can also visit Kathamrita Bhawan. This is the house of Mahendra Nath Gupta, also known as M, who chronicled the Gospel of Sri Ramkrishna. Additionally, explore Baghbazar Maayer Badi. This center is also known as Mother’s House. It served as the residence of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi whenever she visited Kolkata.
Travel TIP
Try to travel during week days. Summers in this part of the country can be hot and humid – Dec to Feb is a good time. Avoid Birth days, Kalpataru day, Samadhi days. (Jan 1 , Jan 12 , Feb 18, July 4, July 21, Aug 16, Dec 22)
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