Belur Math Kolkata Timings, Ferry, Distance, Tickets, Sandhya Arati

There are so many locations in Kolkata that a tourist needs to explore in the city. From temples to historical monuments to old structures and museums there is so much that you can explore here. However there are few locations in Kolkata that reflect culture, religion, spirituality, history all together. One such location is the Belur Math Kolkata that you cannot miss out on visiting. The headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math in Kolkata, is an epitome of excellence in so many different ways. It also reflects the culture of India, teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and the ideals of Swami Vivekananda as well. To know more about Belur Math Swami Vivekananda you need to visit this location in person.

Moreover there is a different vibe and aura of this location which is spiritual and divine. You will instantly feel refreshed and rejuvenated after a visit there. Also the history that you will get to know after a visit to this spot is undeniably educational and significant. So if you are planning a trip to Belur Math Kolkata then this will be a helpful article for you. In this article I will mention everything that you probably need to know about Belur Math Kolkata. So keep on reading this article so that you can plan a successful trip to this location in Kolkata.

Belur Math Kolkata

Location: Belur, Howrah, West Bengal

Belur Math timing:

The Belur Math timings vary during summers and winters. From April to September the Math opens at 6 am and closes at 11:30 am. Again it opens at 4 pm and the Belur Math closing time is 8:30 pm. From October to March the Math opens at 6:30 am and closes at 11:30 am. Again it opens at 4 pm and closes at 8 pm. The math is open on all days of the week throughout the year.

Belur Math Sandhya Arati timing

One of the major attractions here is the Arati in the evening. Belur Math sandhya arati time is 5:30 pm and there is a bell that rings and indicates the time of the arati. Everyone gathers and sings the prayer song Khandana Bhava Bandhana Belur Math which is a highlight of visiting here. So make sure you are attending the arati here as it is unique than any other arati at other temples.

Museum Timings: The museum is open on all days from Tuesday to Sunday. It remains closed on Mondays and some specific public holidays. Museum timings from April to September are from 8:30 am to 11:30 am and from 4 pm to 6 pm. From October to March the museum timings are 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

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Belur Math tickets: There is no entry fee

How to reach

By air

If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach Belur Math is the Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. From the airport Belur Math is 14. 7 km away. It would take around half an hour to reach there from the airport. The most convenient way would be to take a car or hire a cab to reach there from the airport.

By train

Belur station to Belur Math distance is 5.3 km and it takes about 20 minutes to reach there from the railway station. You can get frequent trains from Howrah station to reach Belur and you can check the Howrah to Belur Math train time table for that. From there you can take local transport to reach Belur Math.

By road

From Howrah you will find multiple buses to reach the Belur Math. Some of them are bus numbers 51, 54 and 56 which you can opt for. Howrah to Belur Math distance is 6.6 km and it takes about half an hour to reach there. You can also travel from locations like Garia, EM Bypass, Science City or Airport. There is AC bus no 50 that will drop you here. Also you can travel from Bally or Dakshineshwar as well. From there also you will find buses and auto rickshaws to reach the math. You will also get mini buses from Esplanade as well as Howrah that will drop you at Belur Math. To travel more conveniently you can however take a taxi or a car or hire a cab as well. There is parking space available at the Math so that would not be an issue.

By ferry

The ferry services are a common mode of transport to reach Belur Math. Dakshineswar to Belur Math ferry services are common here and frequent. You will get ferries after every half an hour to reach Belur Math from Dakshineswar. Dakshineswar to Belur Math distance by ferry is about 5 km and takes around half an hour to reach there. Also ferries are available from Kuntighat as well to reach Belur Math.

By metro

Belur Math nearest metro station is the Dakshineswar Metro Station. Dakshineswar to Belur Math distance is 4.8 km and you can reach there in about 13 minutes. Either you can take a bus or an auto rickshaw to reach Math from the metro station.

Overview of Belur Math

Belur Math Kolkata is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission and is located on the bank of River Hooghly. This institution represents the theme of Universal Faith and promotes and works towards establishing equality of all men, religion and faiths. However, people from all over the world visit here to seek spiritual enlightenment and fulfillment. According to erstwhile President of India, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, this location is the place of national heritage and national importance. The foundation and the conceptualization of this institution goes back in the time. The chief disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dev, Swami Vivekananda founded and established Belur Math. Belur Math established in 1897 and Swami Vivekanada founded this spot as the location of Belur Math. Furthermore after three decades of his passing away, his thoughts were brought to reality and finally the construction was completed in 1938.

Spread across an area of 40 acres the Belur Math campus houses the main temple along with small individual temples surrounded by well manicured lawns. The main motto of the Math is “Selfless Service of God in Man”. The ambiance of the location is serene and you must visit here once to understand more about the ideologies that they follow about services towards humankind.

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Belur Math History

The main idea behind the construction of Belur Math was to take forward the teachings of Ramakrishna Dev. Therefore his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda with other brother monks laid the foundation of this Math. After Swami Vivekananda returned from Colombo in 1897 he founded two monasteries. The first one was at Belur and the other one was at Mayavati in the state of Uttarakhand. Moreover, the idea of constructing this math initially was to train the young monks in following the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Dev so that they can devote their lives for the service of humankind.

Swami Vivekananda had observed various temples across the world and also drawn inspiration from them to construct this architectural marvel. Swami Vijanananda, a brother monk who was a civil engineer before becoming a monk, designed the structure of this temple. In 1898 Swami Vivekananda consecrated the ground by worshipping the relics of Sri Ramakrishna. On 13^th March 1929 Swami Shivananda laid the foundation stone of the Math after three decades of the passing away of Swami Vivekananda. Later on 16^th July 1935 Swami Vijanananda laid the foundation stone at the present site. And the construction was completed in 1938, 14^th January.

Attractions inside the Belur Math Campus

The Belur Math inside section houses multiple temples, shrines, museums and monasteries along with lawns and gardens.

The Main Monastery or the Sri Ramakrishna Temple

This is the main temple in Belur Math where the holy relics of Sri Ramakrishna Dev have been enshrined. After checking out the Belur Math photos you will feel it does not do justice to how beautiful the temple looks from up close. Also there is a full size marble statue inside the temple in a seated posture on a hundred petal lotus. The inside of the temple is peaceful and ideal for meditation. However, you can sit inside the temple for hours in silence and meditate.

Old Shrine

This building was the original shrine where the disciples used to conduct prayers from 1899 to 1935. It is located at the north eastern side of the main temple.

Swami Vivekananda Temple

Constructed in 1928 it is the location where the mortal remains of Swamiji were cremated. There is a Bel tree just beside the temple where Swamij used to sit and meditate.

Temple of Sri Sarada Devi or Holy Mother Temple

This is the temple dedicated to Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi the wife of sage Ramakrishna Dev. It was constructed in 1921 and the temple faces the River Ganga.

Swami Vivekananda Room

This is the room where Swamiji used to live and also attained Mahasamadhi on 4^th of July 1902. Located in the south east corner of the old shrine there are artifacts used by Swamiji in different phases of his life also.

Swami Brahmananda Temple

This is yet another temple in the campus dedicated to Swami Brahmananada who was also one of the direct disciples of Ramakrishna Dev. Also he was the first President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission.

Samadhi Enclosure

Out of the 16 direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna Dev, the earthly remains of 9 of them are cremated here. There are marble plaques here with the names of each of the monks.

Ramakrishna Museum

This is one of the major attractions of Belur Math Kolkata. From belongings of Swami Vivekananda, to Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi there is a lot to explore here. You will also find various artifacts, recreation of Panchavati Tree, Depiction of Life of Sri Ramakrishna etc here. Along with that there is a life size replica of Swamiji inside the museum as well.

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Wrapping Up!

Belur Math Kolkata is one of the must visit places in Kolkata and you cannot miss out on visiting here. It is a divine location that also reflects a long history of the construction of this Math. At present the Ramakrishna Math and Mission are fully devoted to the cause of social upliftment and wellbeing of mankind. So you need to check out this location for sure. Let me know if this article on Belur Math Kolkata is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.