imported>Rishav2014 at 08:44, 21 August 2021

2021-08-21T08:44:44Z

New page

{{short description|First monastery of Ramakrishna Order located in Baranagar, India}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Baranagar Math
| alternate_names =
| status = Active
| image = Ramakrishna Math, Baranagar - 48097764998.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_size =
| caption = Entrance of Baranagar Math
| map_type = India Kolkata#India West Bengal#India
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| altitude =
| building_type = Heritage place, museum, branch of Ramakrishna Mission
| architectural_style =
| structural_system =
| cost =
| ren_cost =
| client =
| owner = [[Ramakrishna Mission]]
| current_tenants =
| landlord =
| address = 44b, Pramanick Ghat Road, [[Baranagar]],<br/>[[Kolkata metropolitan area|Kolkata]] 700036
| location_country = India
| coordinates = {{coord|22|37|54.7|N|88|22|3|E|region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| start_date = {{Start date|1886}}
| completion_date =
| opened_date =
| inauguration_date =
| renovation_date = 1973
| height =
| architectural =
| architect =
| architecture_firm =
| awards =
| designations =
| ren_architect =
| ren_firm =
| ren_str_engineer =
| ren_serv_engineer =
| ren_civ_engineer =
| ren_oth_designers =
| ren_qty_surveyor =
| ren_awards =
| website = {{URL|http://www.rkmbaranagar.org/}}
}}
'''Baranagar Math'''{{efn|Alternative spelling "Baranagore Math", in this spelling of official website is followed.}} (Baranagar Monastery) or '''Ramakrishna Math, Baranagar''' was the first monastery of [[Ramakrishna]] Order. In September 1886, after the death of Ramakrishna, when his devotees stopped funding, [[Swami Vivekananda]] (then known as Narendranath Datta) and other disciples of Ramakrishna decided to make a dilapidated house at [[Baranagar]] their new ''math''.<ref name="Sinha p514">{{harvnb|Sinha|2012|p=514}}</ref><ref name="Sil p168">{{Harvnb|Sil|1991|p=168}}</ref> The house crumbled to dust in 1897. In 1973 Vivekananda Math Samrakshan Samity was formed who attempted to preserve the area. In 2001, the possession was handed over to [[Belur Math]] authority, who soon-after declared it as one of their official branch. The restoration and development work of the area is still going on.<ref name="Brief history of Baranagar Math" />

== History ==

=== Establishment in September 1886 ===
[[File:Baranagar Math nineteenth century.jpg|thumb|upright|Baranagar Math, dilapidated house of nineteenth century]]
After the [[Ramakrishna#Last days|death of Ramakrishna]] on 16 August 1886, his devotees and admirers stopped funding. Many of his disciples showed inclination to return home and live ''[[Grihastha]]'' (family-oriented) life. The monastic disciples led by young Narendranath Datta understood the necessity to find out a new shelter. Narendranath and others decided to make dilapidated house at Baranagar the new ''math'' (monastery) for remaining disciples.<ref name="Sinha p514" /><ref name="Sil p168" /> The house belonged to a ''[[Zamindar|zaminder]]'' family of [[Taki (India)|Taki]], [[North 24 Parganas district]].<ref name="Brief history of Baranagar Math">{{cite web|title=Brief history of Baranagar Math |url=http://www.rkmbaranagar.org/brief_history.php |publisher=Ramakrishna Mission, Baranagar |access-date=8 July 2013 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6Hx31O6Ve?url=http://www.rkmbaranagar.org/brief_history.php |archive-date=8 July 2013 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}</ref>

=== Life at Baranagar Math ===
[[File:Vivekananda Baranagar 1887.jpg|thumb|250px|Group photo taken on 30 January 1887 in Baranagar Math, Kolkata.<br/>'''Standing''': (l–r) [[Swami Shivananda]], [[Swami Ramakrishnananda]], [[Swami Vivekananda]], Randhuni, Debendranath Majumdar, Mahendranath Gupta (Shri M), [[Swami Trigunatitananda]], H.Mustafi<br/> '''Sitting''': (l–r) [[Swami Niranjanananda (Niranjan Maharaj)|Swami Niranjanananda]], [[Swami Saradananda]], Hutko Gopal, [[Swami Abhedananda]]]]
[[Surendra Nath Mitra]], a devotee of Ramakrishna desired to pay the rent for the house.<ref name="Nikhilananda p39—47">{{Harvnb|Nikhilananda|1953|pp=39–47}}</ref> Narendranath and his ''guru bhai''s{{efn|Disciples of the same teacher/master are each other's ''Guru bhai''}} used to collect their daily food by "holy begging" (''madhukari''). The math became the first building of the ''[[Ramakrishna Math]]''—the monastery of the [[Monasticism|monastic order]] of Ramakrishna.<ref name="Prabha-2003-232">{{Harvnb|Prabhananda|2003|p=232}}</ref> Narendra later reminisced about the early days in the monastery:<ref name="GLWT_38">{{harvnb|Chetananda|1997|p=38}}</ref>
{{quote|We underwent a lot of religious practice at the ''Baranagar Math''. We used to get up at 3:00 am and become absorbed in ''[[japa]]'' and meditation. What a strong spirit of detachment we had in those days! We had no thought even as to whether the world existed or not.}}

==== Monastic vows ====
In January 1887, Narendranath Datta and eight other disciples of Ramakrishna took formal monastic vows at Baranagr Math.<ref name="Copley p193">{{Harvnb|Copley|2006|p=193}}</ref>

=== Demolition in 1897 ===
The house, which was already in a dilapidated condition, crumbled down to dust in 1897. No initiative could be taken at that time to restore the house.<ref name="Brief history of Baranagar Math" /> In the same year, Vivekananda [[Swami Vivekananda#Back in India .281897.E2.80.931899.29|returned from the West]].<ref name="Bharathi p24">{{Harvnb|Bharathi|1998|p=24}}</ref>

=== Formation of Baranagar Math Samrakshan Samity (1973) ===
On 25 January 1963, under the supervision and guidance of Swami Ramananda, a monk of Ramakrishna Order, the local people of Baranagar formed a society named "Baranagar Math Samrakshan Samity". The objective of the committee was to preserve the land where Baranagar Math was situated and attempt to re-establish it. In course of time, many buildings, shops and slums covered that area. Baranagar Math Samrakshan Samity managed to occupy a portion of the garden where Baranagar Math stood once. There they started social service activities like running Charitable Homoeopathic Dispensary, Free Coaching Centre (which was named Swami Vivekananda Charitable Coaching Centre) for the poor students of nearby slums etc. Gradually their social activities increased. They opened a non-formal school for children (which was named "Gadadhar Sishu Bikas Kendra"), opened a general library and started organising lectures and religious discourses on regular basis.<ref name="Brief history of Baranagar Math" />

=== Handing over to the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission (2001) ===
In October 2001, Baranagar Math Samrakshan Samity handed over the land to the authority of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna mission. At that time Belur Math Management{{efn|Headquarter of Ramakrishna Math and Mission.}} asked Baranagar's local Ramakrishna Mission Centre to take care of the possession. A meeting was held soon, where it was decided by the Governing Body and the Board of Trustees of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission to attempt to restore the place because of its historical significance. It was declared, since 6 January 2004 the place would be considered as an official branch of Belur Math. Swami Vamanananda was appointed as the president of the branch. Thus Baranagar Math came into existence once again. The development and re-establishment works are still going on.<ref name="Brief history of Baranagar Math" />

== See also ==
* [[Baranagore Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama High School]]
* [[Ramakrishna Sarada Math]]

== References ==

=== Explanatory notes ===
{{Notelist}}

=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}

=== Works cited ===
* {{cite book|last=Sinha|first=Debotosh|title=Social Welfare and Social Work|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qpsgYoASg58C&pg=PA514|year=2012|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-8069-814-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Sil|first=Narasingha Prosad|title=Rāmakṛṣṇa Paramahaṁsa: A Psychological Profile|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1VvQ6XAWV8sC&pg=PA168|year=1991|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-09478-9}}
* {{Cite book|last=Prabhananda|first=Swami |year=2003|title= Profiles of famous educators: Swami Vivekananda|journal=Prospects|publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] | location=Netherlands | volume=XXXIII|issue=2| url=http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/archive/publications/ThinkersPdf/vivekane.pdf}}
* {{Cite book| last = Chetananda | first = Swami|title=God lived with them: life stories of sixteen monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna | publisher = Vedanta Society of St. Louis|location=St. Louis, Missouri|year=1997|isbn=0-916356-80-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Nikhilananda|first=Swami|title=Vivekânanda: a biography|url=http://www.vivekananda.net/PDFBooks/BiographybyNikhilananda.pdf|year=1953|publisher=Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center|isbn=978-0-911206-25-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Bharathi|first=K. S.|title=Encyclopaedia of Eminent Thinkers: The political thought of Vivekananda|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ADEddk9V9w0C&pg=PA24|year=1998|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7022-709-0|pages=24–}}
* {{cite book|last=Copley|first=Antony R. H.|title=A Spiritual Bloomsbury: Hinduism and Homosexuality in the Lives and Writings of Edward Carpenter, E.M. Forster, and Christopher Isherwood|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qo_a1mNUmbgC&pg=PA193|year=2006|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0-7391-1465-0}}

==External links==
{{Commons cat|Baranagar Math}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Baranagar}}
{{Swami Vivekananda}}
{{Tourist attractions in Kolkata}}

[[Category:Swami Vivekananda]]
[[Category:Ramakrishna Math and Mission branches]]
[[Category:Culture of Kolkata]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in North 24 Parganas district]]
[[Category:Baranagar]]
[[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 1897]]

Baranagar Math - Revision history

imported>Rishav2014 at 08:44, 21 August 2021