ISKON in Mayapur

Mayapur: Indian Tourist Spot

About Mayapur: Mayapur is famous for the Vaishnavaite people. Shri Chaitanyadev, the great philosopher & a devotee of Bhagwan Krishna spread the message of love & tolerance to the people of Bengal. Now a beautiful shrine has been made here by the Iskon.
How to reach:Mayapur is accessible by train, bus, cars
Best Time To Visit: September to February.
Accomodation: Hotels etc.
Local Transport: Bus, taxi service etc.

Place of Tourist Interest in Mayapur

Iskon Temple: This beautiful temple is a wonderful spot for the devotees of Lord Krishna & attracts lots of tourists from all over the world.

Mayapur makes you forget city life. Situated on the banks of river Hooghly and 130 kilometres from Kolkata, it is a picture of tranquility. Chants of Hare Krishna, Hare Rama fill the air as devotees dance and sing. The ambience is serene. It fills your mind with peace.

Mayapur is one of the nine islands of Navadwip. Founded by Bakti Vinod Thakur, Mayapur is located near to the confluence of river Hoogly and Jalangi river. “It’s a small village in Nadia district previously known as Miyapur. Before Lord Chaitanya’s birth, it was known as Nadia and after the Lord’s birth, it became known as Navadwip. Today it is known as Mayapur,” says Sant Kumar of International Society for Krishna Conciousness (ISKON).

Maypur is a pilgrimage spot where the great Bengali saint Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born in 1486. The town is centred on the Gaudiya Vaishnava religious tradition, with temples of Radha and Krishna throughout. ISKON was established in Mayapur in the 1970s.

Main attractions

Chandrodaya temple: This is the first temple founded by ISKON in Mayapur under the guidance of Lord Mahaprabhu. The temple has a statue of Lord Radha Krishna along with the eight gopis. It also houses an exhibition section, which depicts the life and work of Shree Chaitanya. The temple’s timings are from 7.30am to 1pm and from 4pm to 8.30pm.

Samadhi of Prabhupada: The Samadhi of Prabhupada, the founder of the ISKON, is another tourist destination. There is a lake, garden and a diorama exhibit in front of the Samadhi.

Shree Chaitanya Yogapitha: It is believed that Shri Chaitanya was born beneath a neem tree, which you can still see here. There is a hut which displays his life with the help of clay models and is the centre of attraction of Mayapur.

Chand Kazi’s Samadhi: Chand Kazi was the Muslim magistrate of Navadvipa, who with his men, broke the mridanga of Srivash Pandit. He had opposed the sankirtanamovement where people collectively chanted Hare Rama, Hare Krishna on the road, but he later became the disciple of Shree Chaitanya.

Attractions near Mayapur

Navadvipa: There are several places in Navadvipa to visit such as Praudha Maya, Siva Temple and Gaudiya Math temple. From Mayapur you can take a bus or a boat to Navadwip, which will take about 30 minutes.

Santipur: Just an hour drive from Mayapur by bus or a taxi, Santipur is the house of Advita Acharya, avatar of Lord Vishnu, is located.

Best time to visit

You can visit any time during the year. However, the months of February and March witness the Gaura Purnima festival. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's 'appearance day' is celebrated through the month.

"Over 200,000 pilgrims visit Mayapur to rejuvenate themselves and to cherish the beauty," says Manimadhav Das, one of the devotees at the ISKON temple.

Accommodation

There are plenty of places for tourists to stay. The town is clean but liquor and cigarettes are banned.

“One can get all the required facilities at very low costs,” says Debashish Rai, manager of a travel agency.

Staying in a temple

One can stay at dharmashala near the temple itself. But you have to book rooms or cottages before going to Mayapur. The price for cottage is Rs 100 and for a/c rooms is Rs 900 and for non-a/c is Rs 350.

Staying in Mayapur

Hotels such as Janbhitirtha Hotel and Sushil Mandal available for tourists. The prices begin from Rs 1000 a night onwards.

Where to eat

Food is not a problem in Mayapur. If you travel by the buses provided by the ISKON temple in Kolkata, they will provide with lunch and tiffin. However, there are guesthouses in Mayapur that provide food to tourists. The food is served at Gada Building Prasadan Hall.

The prices for lunch and dinner are Rs 40 and Rs 20 respectively. Also if you want to freak on pizzas, dosas and sandwiches, the restaurant halfway between the main gate and temple will serve you. There are many dhabas and restaurants on the roadside in Mayapur.

To get there

ISKON temple provides buses to Mayapur which depart daily from the ISKON Kolkata temple at 6am and arrives in Mayapur at 10am. A one-way ticket is Rs 135 per head and Rs 270 for a return journey. They also provide lunch and tiffin.

There is also direct local bus to Mayapur, which departs at 7am from the Esplanade bus stand.

You can also hire a private car. For one-way the price is Rs 1650 and the price for a return trip is Rs 2000.