Belur Math – Headquarters of Ramkrishna Mission

Located on the western banks of the Hooghly River in the Indian state of West Bengal, Belur Math is a prominent place in Indian history, fundamentally because of the fact that it happens to be the headquarters of the famous Ramkrishna Mission, which was founded by one of the most prominent and vital entities in Indian history—Swami Vivekananda, who was also a dedicated disciple of Ramkrishna Paramahamsa.

One of the most significant things that binds the Belur Math as a keen place for many devotees and followers is the fact that the temple boasts of an architecture that showcases the amalgamation of Hindu, Islam as well as Christian art—thus, conveying the unity of all religions, which in itself is of great significance when it comes to equality, peace and harmony.

Coming to fore in the year 1987, Swami Vivekananda coined the Belur Math alongside another monastery that was set up in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand and was named Advaita Ashram. Both Belur Math and Advaita Ashram were set up with the fundamental motive of training and nurturing young men who willed to become sanyaasis in the future and serve at the Ramkrishna Mission.

It is said that when Swami Vivekananda had a long expedition, traveling to places like Fatehpur Sikhri, the Taj Mahal, and visiting Europe and America, the unusual mixture of architecture and artistic caliber at the places left him amazed and it is with all his observations at all the places he visited and the architecture that impressed him that urged him to inculcate those in the building of the Belur Math and thus, came the variety in the architectural essence of the structure.

It was also quoted that one of the other significant points of establishing the Belur Math was to “celebrate the diversity of Indian religions,” like Swami many times said and affirmed that the agenda Ramakrishna movement wanted to promote was the belief in universal faith.

The Math also consists of a list of other structures, some of which include the Swami Vivekananda Temple, the Ramakrishna Museum, the Holy Mother’s Temple, as well as Swami Brahmananda Temple.

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