Belur Math () is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located in Belur, West Bengal, India on the west bank of Hooghly River. The temple is the heart of the Ramakrishna movement. It is notable for its architecture that fuses Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian art and motifs as a symbol of unity of all religions. In 2003, Belur Math railway station was also inaugurated which is dedicated to Belur Math Temple.
thumb|A sketch of Belur Math campus
thumb|Belur Math from Ratan Babu Ghat
History
In the beginning of 1897, Swami Vivekananda arrived at Baranagar, Calcutta with his small group of Western disciples. Two monasteries were founded by him, one at Belur, which became the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission and the other at Mayavati on the Himalayas, in Champawat District, Uttrakhand, called the Advaita Ashrama. These monasteries were meant to receive and train young men who would eventually become sannyasis (religious ascetic) of the Ramakrishna Mission, and to give them a training for their work. The same year the philanthropic activity was started and relief of the famine was carried out.
Swami Vijnanananda, a brother-monk of Swami Vivekananda and one of the monastic disciples of Ramakrishna, who was, in his pre-monastic life, a civil engineer, designed the temple according to the ideas of Vivekananda and Swami Shivananda, the then President of Belur Math laid the foundation stone on 13 March 1929. The massive construction was handled by Martin Burn & Co. The mission proclaims the Belur Math as, "A Symphony in Architecture". The Math can be reached by direct EMU train services from Howrah, ferry and by road.
Campus
thumb|The entrance gate of Belur Math has symbols of all religions
right|thumb|250px|Monastic disciples, Trigunatitananda, [[Swami Shivananda|Shivananda, Swami Vivekananda, Turiyananda, Brahmananda. Below Sadananda, at Belur Math, 20 June 1899.]]
thumb|Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), Belur Math campus.
thumb|Ramakrishna Sangraha Mandir, Belur Math, West Bengal, India
thumb|Thousands of people visit the Math for the annual day celebration.
thumb|[[Ramakrishna Mission Shikshanamandira, Belur Math campus.]]
The campus of the Belur Math on the banks of the Hooghly includes temples dedicated to Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, in which their relics are enshrined, and the main monastery of the Ramakrishna Order. The campus also houses a Museum containing articles connected with the history of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Several educational institutions affiliated with the Ramakrishna Mission are situated in the vast campus adjacent to Belur Math, including Ramakrishna Mission Shilpamandira. The Belur Math is considered one of the prime tourist spots near Kolkata and place of pilgrimage by devotees. The ex-president APJ Abdul Kalam regarded Belur Math as a "place of heritage and national importance."
Sri Ramakrishna Temple
[[File:Ramakrishna Marble Statue.jpg|thumb|right| The marble statue of Ramakrishna at Belur Math <br/>
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The design of the temple was envisioned by Swami Vivekananda and the architect was Swami Vijnanananda, a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna Temple was consecrated on 14 January, the Makar Sankranti Day in 1938.
The Ramakrishna temple at the Belur Math is designed to "celebrate the diversity of Indian Religions" and resembles a temple, a mosque, a church if seen from different positions. The architectural style and symbolism from a number of religions have been incorporated into the design of the temple at Belur Math, to convey the "universal faith" in which the movement believes. The temple is considered a prime example of the importance of "material dimension" of religion.
Swami Brahmananda's temple
Another temple dedicated to Swami Brahmananda—a direct disciple of Ramakrishna and the first president of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission—is situated near Holy Mother's temple.
thumb|Swami Brahmananda Statue in Brahmananda Temple, Belur Math. A Closer Look.
thumb|Swami Brahmananda Statue in Brahmananda Temple, Belur Math.
thumb|Swami Brahmananda temple, Belur Math.
Ramakrishna Sangraha Mandir
The famed, two-storey Ramakrishna Sangraha Mandir hosts artifacts used by Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, and some of his disciples. These include the long coat worn by Vivekananda in the West, Sister Nivedita's table, and an organ of Mrs Sevier's. The museum chronicles the contemporary growth of the movement, and the Bengalese. The center also celebrates annual birthdays of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Sarada Devi and other monastic disciples of Ramakrishna. The annual celebrations of Kumari Puja and Durga Puja are one of the main attractions. The tradition of Kumari puja was started by Vivekananda in 1901.
Visiting
Belur Math has been re-opened for visitors and devotees from 18 August 2021.
It was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from 22 April to 17 August 2021, and earlier from 24 March 2020 to 9 February 2021, with a brief opening during the phased unlock process from 15 June to 2 August 2020, and from 10 February to 21 April 2021.
It is served by the Belur Math railway station, part of the Kolkata Suburban Railway.
Presidents
- Swami Brahmananda 1897–1922
- Swami Shivananda 1922–1934
- Swami Akhandananda 1934–1937
- Swami Vijnanananda 1937–1938
- Swami Shuddhananda 1938–1938
- Swami Virajananda 1938–1950
- Swami Shankarananda 1951–1962
- Swami Vishuddhananda 1962–1962
- Swami Madhavananda 1962–1965
- Swami Vireshwarananda 1965–1985
- Swami Gambhirananda 1985–1988
- Swami Bhuteshananda 1988–1998
- Swami Ranganathananda 1998–2005
- Swami Gahanananda 2005–2007
- Swami Atmasthananda 2007–2017
- Swami Smaranananda 2017–2024
- Swami Gautamananda 2024-
See also
- Kalighat Kali Temple
- Dakshineswar Kali Temple
- Gazi Pir
- Baranagar Math
- Baranagar Ramakrishna Mission