On Wednesday, Suzanne and I visited the Belur Math (by the Ganges) in the morning where there is a Ramakrishna temple and several memorial building for Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and other disciples. We meditated inside the big temple where once an hour or so they open the iron gates to a shrine, where a lifesize statue of Ramakrishna is located behind thick glass. We were able to spend only about an hour there because the grounds close at noon and we weren’t able to get there before 11am due to the drive from our hotel taking much longer than we expected (somehow it always seems like that). We were not allowed to take any pictures at the Belur Math, so I am including a picture I took yesterday of one of the many stray dogs that live here.
In the afternoon, we went to the home of Devi and Hassi Mukherjee and meditated in their small meditation room where Master and his childhood friend Tulsi Bose often meditated together. Though the room must have been about 100F at that time, the vibrations were very sweet and being able to meditate there was very special.
At 6pm we walked over to Gosh’s house (right around the corner) with Santoshi where Durga, Vidura and high school girls were also present. This is where Master lived many years during his childhood and young adult life until he left for America. When we arrived there our group had already started chanting. Vidura took Suzanne and I around and showed us the special rooms. We meditated in Master’s attic meditation room and in other rooms too. After dinner the high school girls once again serenated us with their fiddle music. Somnath (great-great grand nephew of Master) took us to the rooftop and pointed out all the special spots around the neighborhood where many of the events of the Autobiography of a Yogi took place. It’s amazing how many great saints lived in a 500 meter radius. He also mentioned that many great politicians also lived in the same neighborhood. There must be something in the soil there.
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