THE ANCESTRAL HOME OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

Originally, Khudiram Chattopadhyaya, father of Sri Ramakrishna, lived in the village of Derepur, two miles to the west of Kamarpukur. Once Ramananda Ray, the oppressive landlord of the village, requested Khudiram to give false evidence in his favour. On his refusal, the landlord filed a false suit against him, won the case and got possession of the whole of Khudiram's ancestral property (150 bighas) through auction. At this time of distress, his friend Sukhlal Goswami of Kamarpukur made to him a gift of a few huts of his homestead and also a small plot of paddy field measuring about half an acre. Khudiram gratefully accepted them and thenceforward lived there.

SRI RAMAKRISHNA'S LIVING-ROOM

It is the western hut facing the south. At present it is used as a part of the shrine of Sri Ramakrishna. While at Kamarpukur, Sri Ramakrishna used to stay in this room. Once he told the Holy Mother, "After my passing, you stay at Kamarpukur, grow greens, live upon this simple fare and spend your days in repeating the name of the Lord. Whatever arrangements the devotees might lovingly make for you, don't let your own house at Kamarpukur be ruined". That was why the Holy Mother lived in that hut after the passing away of the Master, in spite of dire financial and other difficulties.

THE TEMPLE OF SRI RAGHUVIRA

This also was previously a small hut facing the east. It had a floor and walls of mud and a roof of straw, The present temple has been constructed exactly on the same spot with the same dimensions. In it, the salagrama (round stone emblem) of Raghuvira (Rama), the earthen jar representing Goddess Sitala, the Rameswara Sivalinga, an image of Gopala and the salagrama of Narayana are worshipped everyday. The last two deities were worshipped by Lakshmi Didi, niece of Sri Ramakrishna.

ANOTHER HUT FACING THE SOUTH

Previously this room was one-storeyed. After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, his nephew Ramlal constructed the second storey with financial help from the Holy Mother and lived there. At present it is used as a store room for the shrine.

The Parlour Sri Ramakrishna used to meet people here and instruct them. The wooden door leading to the house is still preserved in its old place. The mango tree planted by Sri Ramakrishna stands to the east of the parlour and still yields fruit.

THE SPOT OF HIS BIRTH

According to the English calendar, on Thursday, the 18th February, 1836, (according to the Indian calendar, Wednesday, Phalguni sukla dwitiya, the second day of the light half of Phalguna) Gadadhar was born 12 minutes before sunrise. At that time there was a shed here, meant for the husking-machine. There was by its side an oven also for boiling paddy. Soon after his birth, when nurse Dhani, after attending to the mother, searched for the child, he was found missing! He had slipped into the oven and became besmeared with ashes, and still did not make any sound! Needless to say, this indicated his future life of renunciation. Just on the spot of his birth, the altar of the present temple of Sri Ramakrishna has been constructed, and the things connected with his birth, viz. a husking machine, a fireplace and a lamp, have been engraved on it. The marble image which was installed on the llth May, 1951, is since being worshipped there.

YOGIS' SIVA TEMPLE

HALDAR-PUKUR

On the northern side of the Yogis' Siva temple is the Haldar-pukur (tank). In between, new constructions of two Guest Houses, and a Charitable Dispensary have come up. The tank has recently been re-excavated, and two bathing ghats paved. In those days, villagers used its clear water for bathing, drinking and cooking purposes. Many sweet memories of the boyhood days of Sri Ramakrishna centre round this tank.

THE HOUSE OF THE LAHAS

Formerly, the Goswamis were the landlords of Kamarpukur, but afterwards, the Lahas became the landlords. Their house stands adjacent to that of Sri Ramakrishna. Now they do not have their old prosperity; only the ruins of their palatial buildings, the prayer hall and the temple founded by them bear witness to their past affluence. The descendants of the Lahas live separately in different houses around the temple. Many memories of Sri Ramakrishna's earlier days are associated with the Lahas. Dharmadas Laha was an intimate friend of Khudiram. On the occasion of the sacred thread ceremony of Gadadhar, it was mainly with his financial assistance that Khudiram was able to feed the entire village. Prasannamayi, a widowed daughter of Dharmadas Laha, was a friend of Chandra Devi. She had a great affection for Gadadhar, whom she regarded as Incarnation of God. Sri Ramakrishna had a very high opinion of her simplicity, devotion, purity and humility.

Many times he asked the Holy Mother to seek her advice, and also spoke highly of her to his women devotees. Needless to say, the Holy Mother also sought and followed her advice. Gayavishnu, son of Dharmadas, was a bosom friend of young Gadadhar .They used to spend a large part of the clay together. It was in the house of the Lahas that, when the pundits invited during a Sraddha ceremony were unable to solve a philosophical problem, the ten-year-old Gadadhar suggested a suitable answer that astonished all of them and drew their unreserved praise and blessing.

THE PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE LAHAS

The school was held in the spacious Natmandir in front of the Lahas' house. A teacher, paid mainly by them, taught the children of the village. Gadadhar also joined this school at the age of five. In a short time he learnt, to read and write, but soon his interest flagged for he developed a tendency to get merged in ecstatic moods at the sight of beautiful scenery or at the contemplation of particular deities. As it was suspected to be the symptom of a disease, his mother did not allow him to go to school for long periods. The boy liked tbe recital of the Puranas and the performance of village dramas more than his school lessons. He had a dislike for arithmetic. Though he made no appreciable progress in his studies, his handwriting was good. The. plays of "Subahu and Yogadya" which Gadadhar copied are still preserved in the Belur Math.

TEMPLE OF GOPESWAR SIVA

This ancient temple is situated to the east of Sri Ramakrishna's house. Either Sukhlal Goswami, who helped Khudiram to settle at Kamarpukur, or his forefather Gopilal Goswami had founded the big Sivalinga. When Sri Ramakrishna was passing thtough ecstatic moods at Dakshineswar, his mother, hearing the report that Gadadhar had turned mad, got alarmed and went to the Gopeswar temple, where she practised hard penances to get the divine grace for the cure of her son. Then she heard a voice directing her to do likewise before the Siva of Mukundapur. As a result of her penances, she was assured that her prayer would be fulfilled.

SITANATH PYNE'S HOUSE

Sitanath Pyne was a man of mediocre means. His house was to the south of the Lahas. Gadadhar used to go there often in his boyhood. When about 12 or 13, he used to have ecstatic trances while singing devotional songs, or reading holy books like the Ramayana or the Mahabharata there. The women of the village then worshipped him as the embodiment of Sri Chaitanya or Sri Krishna. Once, on the occasion of the Sivaratri, there was an arrangement for the performance of a village drama. As the boy who was to act as Siva fell suddenly ill, Gadadhar was persuaded to play that role. But as soon as be came to the stage decked with matted locks, Rudraksha beads and ashes, he fell into a deep trance which lasted very long, and the performance had to be stopped.

DHANI KAMARINI'S BIRTH-PLACE AND TEMPLE

It is situated to the south-east of Sri Ramakrishna's house. Recently, a small temple has been built on this site, by some devotees and an oil painting of Dhani with the child Gadadhar in her lap has been placed therein. In that temple, the photo of Sri Ramakrishna is worshipped. Dhani Kamarini, a blacksmith woman, served Gadadhar from his childhood. Once she got a promise from the boy that at the time of his investiture with the sacred thread he would accept alms from her. But it was contrary to the custom in the Chattopadhyaya family to accept alms from a non-brahmin on such an occasion. So his elder brother Ramakumar objected to it; but Gadadhar was adamant. At last Dharmadas Laha, their father's friend, heard this and said to Ramakumar, Although this has not so far been allowed in your family, it has taken place in many good Brahmin families elsewhere. Therefore no blame will attach to those who allow it. It will also satisfy Cadadhar and make him happy'. In this way the problem was amicably solved, and Gadadhar kept his promise in deference to the affection of Dhani.

CHINU SHANKHARI'S BIRTH-PLACE

Srinivas (alias Chinu), though not born in a high family, had great devotion to God. His relations with the boy Gadadhar were very sweet. He had a strong faith that Gadadhar was a divine being, and loved him dearly. He was afraid that he might die before he could witness the unfoldment of his divine play. One day he fed Gadadhar with sweets and prayed for his grace. Even when he grew up, Sri Ramakrishna maintained his loving relation with Srinivas. After his Sadhana period, whenever he went to Kamarpukur, Srinivas spent his time with him in religious discourses. Latterly, the Master often referred to his deep-seated devotion and love. At present nothing but the site of his house exists. It lies to the north-east of Sri Ramakrishna's house. It has recently been acquired by the local Ramakrishna Math.

BUDHAI MORAL CREMATION GROUND

To the east of the village of Kamarpukur, lies this cremation ground for the burning of the dead. While staying at Kamarpukur, Sri Ramakrishna used to go there now and then and spend much of his time in contemplation.

THE REST-HOUSE (CHOULTRY)

The Lahas built a house for pilgrims at the south-east corner of the village on the road to Puri. After the death of his father, when he was barely seven, Gadadhar keenly felt the transitoriness of this world, and often went to the monks who took shelter at the caravan-serai. He became intimate with a group of them and helped them in such little chores as collecting fuel or fetching drinking water while he minutely observed their life. They too developed a liking for this pretty boy because of his simple sweet manners. They gave him good instructions, talked about God and shared with him their consecrated food. At first, Chandra Devi did not mind this intimacy but when she found that the boy one day came home dressed like a monk, she became alarmed. But on hearing of her apprehension, the monks assured her that there was no fear of their taking away Gadadhar with them. At this Chandra Devi attained peace of mind.

MUKUNDAPUR SIVA TEMPLE

It is situated to the south-west of Sri Ramakrishna's birth place. On being directed by Gopeswar Siva, Gadadhar's mother went to this temple and lay there without food and drink, praying for the recovery of Gadadhar from his supposed madness. She, however, felt comforted when she heard a divine voice saying, 'Don't fear, your son is not mad; he has become like this because of divine intoxication.' It is said that from that time onward many people have got their prayers fulfilled by practising such penances before this deity.

BHUTIR-KHAL CREMATION GROUND

This is just to the north-west of Sri Ramakrishna's house. When Sri Ramakrishna came home after his strenuous austerities at Dakshineswar at the age of 22, he used to go there and to the other cremation ground (Budhui Moral) for spiritual practices. There is an old banyan tree under which he used to meditate during the greater part of the night. He also planted a Vilva tree there.

MANIK RAJA'S MANGO GROVE

Manik Chandra Bandyopadhyaya of Bhursubo village was renowned in the area for his great benevolence, and so he became known as 'Manik Raja'. To the west of Bhutir-Khal, he reared an extensive mango grove for the public. This garden became the playground of Gadadhar and his friends. Now and then they would run away from school, go to this secluded place and engage themselves in dramatic performances which they might have seen previously. In these, Gadadhar took the role of the hero and also directed the performances. Men and women passing that way or the peasants engaged in cultivation nearby, would be astonished to see, his memory and charmed at his skill in acting. It is a matter of regret that this mango grove no longer exists. With the passage of time it has become paddy cultivation field, with only a few mango trees standing here and there as a reminiscence of the past. There are many other incidents mentioned in the Sri Sri Ramakrishna Lila-Prasanga about the intimacy of Gadadhar with Manik Raja.