BELUR MATH "It's not good because it's old, it's old because it's good."

One may know which pub is the best in town or which mall has got the best collection for the season, but if you ask them about your city’s historical places or its heritage, they just end up answering a dull ‘NO’!

Kolkata is well known for its tolerance for all communities. People from all parts of the country and the world have not only made the city their home but also freely practiced their religious beliefs. Nowhere in India is our country's secular credentials so much in evidence as in this city. Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kalighat Kali Temple, Birla temple, Belur Math, Tipu Sultan Mosque, St. Paul’s Cathedral are the few best known religious places of Kolkata. Outram ghat, Princep ghat, Victoria and so many elsewhere one may go and have a good time in Kolkata. But do we really know these places any more? Do we actually think of spending our weekend with our dear ones in any of these places?

Somewhere deep down we know we are losing our culture and are getting prone towards the modern western culture. If given a choice to a young Kolkatan, between BELUR MATH and CITY CENTRE, which place to go to spend time with his friends, then he will definitely choose city centre over Belur Math!

Hardly few of us would know that Belur Maṭh or Belur Mutt is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, which was founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. This Math is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, Belur, West Bengal, India and is one of the significant institutions in Kolkata. This temple is the heart of the Ramakrishna Movement. The temple is notable for its architecture that fuses Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as a symbol of unity of all religions. The place is beautifully located. Quite a large number of people before used to fill the Math, they used to come with families, friends and enjoy the essence of the place, it gives one a lot of positive energies, helps in rejuvenating inner peace. It has the Hoogly river infront, big grounds for people to sit and chat and also to meditate for many.

Belur Math aims at the harmony of religions, harmony of the East and the West, harmony of the ancient and the modern, spiritual fulfillment, all-round development of human faculties, social equality, and peace for all humanity, without any distinctions of creed, caste, race or nationality. This place helps retaining one’s morals, and anyday it’s a better place to be with your dear ones than going to the malls or discs!

The motto of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission is:

Atmano mokshartham jagad hitaya cha,

"For one's own salvation , and for the welfare of the world".

 If nowadays people had visited Belur Math more than discs and pubs then may be the world, or Kolkata to be specific, could have been a way better and a safe place to live in, with no news of murders, rapes, robberies, and other crimes!

Swami Vivekananda quoted about Belur Math that,

"The spiritual light that this place will emit will flood the whole universe."

We are burying our own history and heritages, our culture and ethics are being dominated by westernization and for this we are at fault! We are losing our own identity! Kolkata is losing its identity!

Mohini Bose

PGPMC

2nd sem