Belur Math was founded by Swami Vivekananda, the noted Hindu saint whose teachings are revered even today. The temple is known for its spiritual messages and activities and serves as the headquarters of the Ramkrishna Mission and has branches all over the world. The The math is located on a picturesque site over River Hooghly and is situated within Belur of Bali Municipality area.
How to Reach
Belur is siuated just 6.4 kilometers away from Kolkata and is within easy reach. It is possible to vist the math and return to Kolkata within a few hours.
Railways: Every local train plying on the Eastern Railway tracks halt at Belur. However, the express trains do not halt at the station.
Road: Standard taxis on meter are easily available from Kolkata. There are numerous options for car rentals as well. The fare depends on the type of the vehicle and the number of hours that it is booked for.
Bus: Belur is well connected by local buses, plying to and from Kolkata and Howrah.
Water Way: You can take a boat and enjoy the ride, it takes about 20 minutes from Dakshineswar temple to Belur Math and cost just 10 Rupees per person.
Attractions & Activities
The unique architecture of the temple has drawn comments from various corners of the globe. It serves as a unification of religions and the design includes symbols of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity that are woven together as stone etched motifs within the math’s architecture. The math is open from 6-11:30 A.M. and 4-7 P.M. usually. The timings are advanced by 30 minutes from October to March.
Ramkrishna Templ: This was built by Swami Vivekananda as a homage to his Guru Ramkrishna Paramahansa. It contains various idols including that of Lord Ganesha and Hanuman along with Navagraha figurines etched outside the temple.
Statue: A huge statue of Ramkrishna Paramahansa is present within the temple where the sacred relics of the social reformer and Godman is preserved.
Swami Vivekananda Temple: The temple stands on the site where the saint was cremated. A bel tree stands in the place of the original one, under which the swami taught his students.
Holy Mother Temple: This temple is dedicated to Ma Sarada, the consort of Ramkrishna Paramahansa.
Swami Brahmananda Temple: This temple is in the memory of Swami Brahmananda, the first President of Ramkrishna Mission & Math. He was also a direct disciple of Ramkrishna.
Museum: The Ramkrishna museum contains collections of personal artifacts used by Ramkrishna, Ma Sarada Devi and Swami Veivekananda. It also offers a realistic depiction of the Panchavati, a collection of 5 sacred trees at the Daknisheswar Kali Temple where Ramkrishna worshipped the Divine deity.
Kumari Puja is one of the most famous rituals conducted at the Belur Math. It takes place during Durga Puja, each year and attracts millions of devotees from all across the globe.
Accommodation
The math has an attached guest house for members of the Vedanta societies. The institute of Culture also offers accommodation to guests.
When to Visit
The math gets visitors throughout the year although it gets very crowded during the Durga Puja in October.