Kamarpukur

We visited Kamarpukur en route to Bishnupur on the auspicious day of Guru Purnima as per the Hindu Calendar. This pristine village captivates one with its peaceful ambience, slow paced lifestyle and spiritual fervor. 

• Kamarpukur comprises of three villages Kamarpukur, Shripur and Mukundapur at the junction of the districts of Hoogly, Bankura and Midnapur. It falls under the Arambagh subdivision of Hoogly district. The village developed under prosperous landlords and Pathan rulers, who built temples, buildings and tanks for the people. Agriculture and small-scale industries are the primary occupation of the dwellers. 
• Acclaimed as the birthplace of Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, devotees throng this village in great numbers as a pilgrimage site for spiritual refreshment. Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, Kamarpukur maintains and operates from this place. Photography is strictly prohibited here to maintain the sanctity of the place. A devotee visits the following places attached intricately to the life of Sri Ramakrishna:

The entrance

Entrance

The ancestral house – The plot of land was gifted by Sukhlal Goswami to Khudiram Chattopadhyay, Sri Ramakrishna’s father. Khudiram was falsely accused and banished from his property at Derepur by an oppressive landlord.

Sri Ramakrishna’s living room – a hut used now as a part of the shrine.

Temple of Sri Raghuvira – presently constructed at the same spot where there was a mud hut. In it the Shalagram (round stone) of Raghuvira (Rama), an earther jar representing Goddess Shitala, Rameswaram Shivalinga, image of Gopala and Shalagram of Shiva are worshipped.

Another hut – Presently used as a store for the shrine, this was constructed after Sri Ramakrishna’s death by his nephew Ramlal.

Parlor – Sri Ramakrishna used to meet devotees here and impart religious discourses. The mango tree planted at the east of the parlor by Sri Ramakrishna, still bears fruits.

Door leading to the house is still preserved at the original place.

The spot of his birth – Gadadhar was born on 18^th February 1886 (Phalguni Shukla Dwitiya) at a shed having the paddy husking machine. He slipped into an oven and was smeared with ashes, signifying his renunciation later in life. The alter of the present temple is constructed here and the marble image installed in 1951 is worshipped daily. 

• Places at Kamarpukur associated with Sri Ramakrishna

Jugi’s Shiva temple – Here, Chandramani Debi had a divine vision that a celestial light entered her womb. Thereafter, Gadadhar was born.

Haldarpukur – This tank is associated with Gadadhar’s boyhood days and bears mystical tales of Sarada Debi. It has now been re-excavated and two ghats have been constructed.

The house and primary school of the Lahas – The relicts of this palatial mansion bespeak of the opulence of the Laha family, who were the landlords here. Gadadhar went to this school for a while.

Primary School (https://kamarpukur.rkmm.org/temple-of-sri-ramakrishna)

Temple of Gopeswar Shiva – Visited by Chandramani Debi to seek blessings for his son, whose spiritual ecstasy was ridiculed by many.

Temple of Gopeswar Shiva (https://kamarpukur.rkmm.org/temple-of-sri-ramakrishna)

Sitanath Pyne’s house – Here Gadadhar performed the role of Shiva for a drama. He was against the practice of confining women in their homes. To teach people a lesson, he once entered home disguised as a weaver woman, and none was aware of his real identity.

Dhani Kamarini’s birthplace and temple – Dhani Kamarini was a blacksmith woman who had served Gadadhar from his childhood. During Gadadhar’s investiture with the sacred thread he had accepted her alms, thus defying caste bias.

Dhani Mata Temple (https://kamarpukur.rkmm.org/temple-of-sri-ramakrishna)

Chinu Sankari’s birthplace – Srinivas (alias Chinu) was a man of deep-seated devotion. He was an ardent believer of Ramakrishna’s divine grace.

Budhui Moral and Bhutirkhal cremation ground was visited by Sri Ramakrishna at times of divine contemplation.

Budhui Moral cremation ground (https://kamarpukur.rkmm.org/temple-of-sri-ramakrishna)

The rest house built by Laha – Here Gadadhar came in proximity with religious people who stopped by on the way to their Puri.

Mukundapur Shiva temple - Visited by Chandramani Debi to seek blessings for his son.

Manik Raja’s mango grove – A place where Gadadhar used to play with his friends. Manik Chandra Bandyopadhyay was a philanthropist and a close associate of Sri Ramakrishna.

• From birth till his departure for Kolkata (1836 to 1853), Sri Sri Ramakrishna resided at Kamarpukur. Later he stayed here at various times from 1858 – 1861, 1867–1868 and later on during the monsoon seasons. He visited Kamarpukur for the last time in 1880, before his death in 1886. Holy Mother Sarada Devi first visited on 1859 after her marriage at the age of five. She was escorted to her paternal village, the very next day. Later Sarada Debi stayed at Kamarpukur for various durations in 1860, 1866 – 1867, 1885, 1887 and 1889.
• Other nearby places connected with Sri Ramakrishna’s visit and his family include Anur, Koalpara, Shihar, Phului Shyambazar, Sarati Mayapur and Bishnupur.

 

References:

1. Kamarpukur and Jayrambati by Swami Tejasananda, Advaita Ashram publication
2. https://kamarpukur.rkmm.org/temple-of-sri-ramakrishna
3. Sishuder Ramakrishna by Swami Bishwashrayananda, Advaita Ashram publication

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