Dakshineswar

Saturday afternoon after work we decided to go on another venture, this time up north to the Dakshineswar Kali Temple on the eastern banks of the Hooghly River. I had a particularly potent interest in visiting this temple because of its association with Ramakrishna, a Hindu saint and guru who I spent some time studying at St. Mary's, primarily in the book Kali's Child by Jeff Kripal that is banned now in India for various reasons. Ramakrishna had a pretty interesting life to say the least, and this temple was where he spent most of it. He was head priest there for 30 years.

The temple complex there was beautiful, and probably one of the most peaceful Hindu temples I've been to in India. It was also one of the largest. In the center of a massive courtyard is the Kali temple, and another raised area next to it where people sit to meditate or converse with other devotees. I got there as a group of people began singing and playing devotional songs. On the perimeter of the courtyard are a multitude of different Shiva temples, all of which contained lingams. People would go around to each one to pay their respects before going into the central shrine. Outside this central complex were the grounds, some of which was just gardens, but also several enshrined buildings including Ramakrishna's room, which still houses his bed and a number of Sepia photographs. It is now a meditation room for visitors. Also, a temple to Radha and Krishna, and a shrine for the guru's wife. Since it was right on the river there were a number of bathing ghats.

Also, there were monkeys. Normally, I wouldn't be so excited about the monkeys since they are troublesome creatures but I haven't seen any here in West Bengal, except for a few that were pets. So here, they are a novelty.

I will put up more pictures of this when I get the chance, but for now the computer is being difficult.