Balaram Mandir

  • Balaram Bose (1842 - 1890) came of a wealthy Vaishnava family and was the son of Sri Radhamohan Bose. Since childhood he had deep spiritual inclination and devoted his time to meditation, prayer, and the study of the Vaishnava scriptures. His wife was the sister of Swami Premananda, one of the foremost disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. 
  • On meeting Sri Ramakrishna (about whom he had read in Kesab Sen’s newspaper), he asked whether God really existed and, if so, whether a man could realize Him. The Master said: “God reveals Himself to the devotee who thinks of Him as his nearest and dearest. Because you do not draw response by praying to Him once, you must not conclude that He does not exist. Pray to God, thinking of Him as dearer than your very self. He is much attached to His devotees. He comes to a man even before He is sought. There is none more intimate and affectionate than God.” Balaram had never before heard God spoken of in such forceful words; every one of the words seemed true to him. 
  • Under the Master’s influence he outgrew the conventions of the Vaishnava worship and became one of the most beloved and prominent householder disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. 
  • He is often referred in ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’. After the passing away of the Master, Balaram would provide a small amount for his monastic brother disciples in Baranagar Math. Despite the fact that he was not well off, he looked into the sustenance of his monastic brothers. 
  • Balaram Bose’s grandfather Sri Gourprasad Bose established a Radha Shyam temple in his house, from which the Shyambazar area derives its name today. 
  • His residence at 7, Girish Avenue, Bagbazar, where Swami Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Mission is presently known as the Balaram Mandir. 
  • On 1 May 1897, Swami Vivekananda organized a meeting in this house to finalize his plans to establish Ramakrishna Mission. In 1922 the house was converted into an independent place of worship for Ramakrishna-Vivekananda followers. In 2002, it became a branch center of Ramakrishna Mission. 
  • This place has been sanctified by numerous visits of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sri Sarada Devi and other disciples of the monastic order including including Swami Vivekananda, Swami Brahmananda, Swami Turiyananda, Swami Premananda, Swami Akhandananda and Swami Adbhutananda.
  • It is said that the Master came at his final moments to escort him to the Eternal Realm. 
  • Regular sessions of spiritual discourses, daily worship and devotional music programs are held now. 
  • There is a small shrine dedicated to Lord Jagannath inside the temple. There is also the chariot of Lord Jagannath which was pulled by Sri Ramakrishna on a Ratha Yatra (car festival) day.
  • There is a street in Calcutta named after Balaram Bose, called Balaram Bose Ghat Road in Bhowanipore area. The Gadadhar Ashrama, now under Ramakrishna Mission, began in the memory of one of his grandsons.
The entrance
Entrance to the building
View from the ground floor
Ornately decorated courtyard
Alpona
Way to the second floor
The temple
The second floor




Balaram Bose at later stages of life

Balaram Bose with fellow disciples

Balaram Bose

Date of visit: 04.10.2022

Reference

https://www.sriramakrishna.in/2018/01/20/balaram-bose/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaram_Mandir

https://m.facebook.com/SriRamakrishnaMovement/photos/a.134386196699149/140896942714741/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balaram_Bose

 

 

 

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