Belur Math

Infobox Mandir


creator = Ramakrishna Mission
proper_name = Belur Math
date_built = 1898
primary_deity = Ramakrishna
architecture = Fusion of Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Rajput, Christian styles
location = Belur

Belur Math is the headquaters of the Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda—a chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, Belur, West Bengal, India. The temple is notable for its architecture that fuses Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as a symbol of unity of all religions. [cite book
author = Sarina Singh
coauthors = Joe Bindloss, Paul Clammer, Janine Eberle
title = India
pages = p.452]

The 40 acre campus of the Belur Math on the banks of Ganga includes temples dedicated to Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, in which their relics are enshrined, and the main monastery of the Ramakrishna Order. The campus also houses a Museum containing articles connected with the history of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Several educational institutions affiliated with the Ramakrishna Mission are situated in the vast campus adjacent to Belur Math. [cite web|url=http://www.belurmath.org/belurmath.htm|title=Belur Math|accessdate=2008-10-10] The design of the temple was envisioned by Swami Vivekananda and the architect was Swami Vijnanananda—a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna. The Belur Math is considered as one of the prime tourist spots in India and place of pilgrimage by devotees.

The Belur Math conducts medical service, education, work for women, rural uplift and work among the labouring and backward classes, relief, spiritual and cultural activities.cite book
author = Cyrus R. Pangborn
title = Hinduism: New Essays in the History of Religions
chapter = The Ramakrishna Math and Mission
pages = p.118] The center also celebrates annual birthdays of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Sarada Devi and other monastic disciples. The annual celebrations of "Kumari Puja" and "Durga Puja" are one of the main attractions. [cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081007/jsp/calcutta/story_9932503.jsp|title=Day of anjali & attraction|date=October 7 , 2008|publisher=The Telegraph|accessdate=2008-10-10]

History

In Jaruary 1897, Swami Vivekananda arrived in Colombo with his small group of Western disciples. Two monasteries were founded by him, one at Belur, which became the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission and the other at Mayavati on the Himalayas, near Almora called the "Advaita Ashrama" [cite book
author = By Hendrik Kraemer
title = World Cultures and World Religions
pages = p.151] Cite book | author = J. N. Farquhar | title = Modern Religious Movements in India | pages = p.202] These monasteries were meant to receive and train young men who would eventually become "sannyasis" of the Ramakrishna Mission, and to give them a training for their work. The same year the philanthropic activity was started and relief of the famine was carried out.

Swami Vivekananda's days as a "parivrajika"—a wondering monk before his visit to Parialment of Religions, took him through many parts of India and he visited several architectural monuments like the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri palaces, Diwan–I–Khas, palaces of Rajasthan, ancient temples of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and other places. During his tour in America and Europe, he come across buildings of architectural importance of modern, medieval, Modern, Medieval, Gothic and Renaissance styles. It is reported that Vivekananda incorporated these ideas in the design of the Belur Math temple. [cite book | title = A Symphony in Architecture Ramakrishna Temple Belur Math | chapter = prelude | chapterurl = http://www.belurmath.org/symphony_in_architecture_ramakrishna_temple/prelude.htm | author = Swami Tattwajnanananda ]

Swami Vijnanananda, a brother-monk of Swami Vivekananda and one of the monastic Disciples of Ramakrishna, who was, in his pre-monastic life, an civil engineer, designed the temple according to the ideas of Vivekananda and laid the foundation stone on 16 May, 1935. The massive construction was handled by Martin Burn & Co.. The mission proclaims the Belur Math as, "A Symphony in Architecture". [cite book | title = A Symphony in Architecture Ramakrishna Temple Belur Math | author = Swami Tattwajnanananda ]

Architecture

The Belur Math, a modern shrine resembles a temple, a mosque, a church if seen from different positions. [cite book
title = Pilgrimage Centers of India
pages = p.167] The architectural style and symbolism from a number of religions have been incorporated into the design of the temple at Belur Math, to convey the "universal faith" in which the movement believes.cite book
author = Open University Course Team
title = Introduction to the Humanities
pages = p.75] [cite book
title = Pilgrimage Centers of India
pages = p.167
quote = This symbolises the main message of the master that all religions and men are essentially one and united.] The temple is considered as a prime example of the importance of "material dimension" of religion.

The main entrance of the temple, has a facade influenced by Buddhist architectural style. The structure which rises over the entrance is modelled on the Hindu temples of south India with their lofty towers. The windows and balconies inside the temple draw upon the Rajput (Hindu) and Mughal (Islamic) style of north India. The central dome is derived from European architecture of the Renaissance period, while the ground plan of the interior gives the impression of a Christian cross.

See also

*Ramakrishna Mission
*Ramakrishna Math
*Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
*Swami Vivekananda
*Sri Sarada Devi

Notes

External links

*wikitravel
* [http://www.belurmath.org Belur Math website]
* [http://www.rkmhq.org/ Official website of the Headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission]
* [http://www.religiousportal.com/BelurMath.html Read Details about Belur Math, Kolkata]