Dakhineshwar - Belur Math - Adyapeeth

Dakhineshwar - the temple for goddess Kali, was built in the early 1800's, found by Rani Rashmoni following a dream she saw when she was about to start on her pilgrimage to Benaras.

The easiest way we found to reach Dakhineshwar from Kolkata was by Train. We took the metro at 7:30 A.M and reached Dum Dum metro by 7:30. From Dum Dum Station we took the local train to Dakhinesnwar, which took us only 10 mintues to reach Dakhineshwar Station.
From the station the temple is 10 minutes walk.

We went there on Saturday 9th July and there was a pooja that Day. Bipodttarini puja. There was huge crowd on the roads and we had to shuffle in between people and shops and cars and rickshaws. There was a serpentine line of devotees to offer their puja going even out of the main temple premises.

We went towards the back side of the temple where the Ganges flows. The pilgrims and devotees were bathing in the sacred river.

GHAT AT DAKHINESHWAR

From there we entered the main temple for "darshan" shuffling in the huge crowd and queue.

Dakhishwar - Belur Math -- We took a "nauka"(small boat) with motor to reach BelurMath. Crossing the wide and forceful Overpowering the river with small boat is a moment to be remembered.

The GANGA (Ganges)

There were about 20 people on the boat enjoying the view. We could see the BelurMandir from the boat. It was like the first glimpse of land after so long in the sea.

The Belur Math from the Boat

It took us 20-25 minutes to reach. The Math is a silent place away from the chantings and noise of Dakhineshwar. People were sitting on the lawns and enjoying the feeling of the river flowing by. The day was very hot but there was no breeze from the river also because of clouds.

THE BELUR MATH

We roamed around the area. The main temple is of Ramkrishna Paramhansa which opens at 11:30 A.M for the devotees. From there we went to have "BHOG" at the Math, which is distributed after 11:30 A.M. You have to take a coupon from the Administrative office from 9:00 A.M to 11:00 A.M.

We were very tired by afternoon and sat in the Math premises uptil it closed down at 1:00 P.M. The Math opens again for the second half after 4 P.M.

As we did not have any place to go for the time being we decided to visit our next destination .Adyapith Mandir.

Adyapith is also a temple of goddess Kali which was founded by Sri Ananda Thakur in 1915. We went back to Dakhineshwar by boat and from there we took an auto to Adyapith temple. The Temple is 10 - 15 minutes walk from Dakhineshwar temple and station.
The temple is a simple white structure where the goddess stands. The devotees can see the goddess from another platform directly opposite to the main temple, made for "darshan".In the second half the temple doors usually open after 4:00P.M. On special occasions the doors open at 3:00P.M.

That day being Bipodtarini Puja, the doors opened at 3:00 p.m. As we had reached there quite early, we sat there in the waiting hall.

The Goddess Adya

Our day ended after Darshan at Adyapith. We were too tired to go anywhere else and thus went back to the station to board the train to DumDum.