Shyampukur Bati

For treatment in Calcutta, Sri Sri Thakur stayed at Shyampukur Bati for 70 days from 2nd October 1885 to 11th December 1885.The details of twelve different days of this period are available in Kathamrita. The house was found out by Kalipada Ghosh who helped in taking it on rent.

It was in this house on the Kali Puja day on 6th November 1885, Divine Mother Herself manifested through Thakur Sri Ramakrishna.

Following is the description in page 928 in ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’ (Volume 2) :

“It is the dark night of the new moon. At seven o’clock the devotees made arrangements for the worship of Kali in Sri Ramakrishna’s room on the second floor. Flowers, sandal-paste, vilwa-leaves, red hibiscus, rice pudding, and various sweets and other articles of worship are placed in front of the Master. The devotees are sitting around him. There are present, among others, Sarat, Sashi, Ram, Girish, Chunilal, M., Rakhal, Niranjan, and younger Naren.

Sri Ramakrishna asked a devotee to bring some incense. A few minutes later he offers all the article to the Divine Mother. M. is seated close to him. Looking at M., he says to the devotees, “Meditate a little.” The devotees close their eyes.

Presently Girish offers a garland of flowers at Sri Ramakrishna’s feet. M. also offers flowers and sandal-paste. Rakhal. Ram, and the other devotees follow him.

Niranjan offers a flower at Sri Ramakrishna’s feet, crying, ‘Brahmamayi! Brahmamayi,’ and prostrates himself before him, touching the Master’s feet with his head. The devotees cry out,“Jai Ma!”,  “Hail to the Mother!”

In the twinkling of an eye Sri Ramakrishna goes into deep samadhi. An amazing transformation takes place in the Master before the very eyes  of the devotees. His face shines with a heavenly light. His two hands are raised in the posture of granting boons and giving assurance to the devotees ; it is the posture one sees in the images of the Divine Mother. His body is motionless ; he has no consciousness of the outer world. He sits facing north. Is the Divine Mother of the Universe manifesting Herself through his person?”

Shyampukur Bati sanctified by stay of Thakur Sri Ramakrishna and Ma Sarada Devi used to be maintained by ‘Shyampukur Bati Sanrakshon Samiti’ and the Samiti has handed over the control of this sacred place to Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur in November 2010. Ramakrishna Math (Shyampukur Bati) was started as a sub centre of Ramakrishna Math (Balaram Mandir) in 2010 and later on in 2017, it became a full fledged branch Centre.