Belur Math in West Bengal is a worth visiting place for people deeply interested in religion, especially Hinduism. This is the headquarters of all Ramakrishna Math and Mission that are spread through the country. This Math is spread over an area of forty acres of land, on the left bank of river Hoogly and is a popular destination for tourists setting their foot in West Bengal.
What to expect?
Belur Math revolves around the life and teachings of Shri Ramakrishna, Shri Sarada Devi and Vivekananda. Their teachings, their preachings reflecting in each inch of this math making the place more vibrant.
There are temples in this Math and also The Ramakrishna Museum. Apart from all these, there are educational institutions that come under the affiliation of Ramakrishna Mission. You will get to see students, young priests, old monks and everybody else in proper attire and carrying a big bag of discipline in them.
The best part of Belur Math is that the temples are a wonderful fusion of Hindu, Islamic and Jain architecture. These temples give a silent message of unity among all religions.
What is the best time for visiting?
Belur Math is right on the banks of River Hoogly and proximal to the heart of Kolkata. The best time to visit is spread over the winter months, from November to February. During these months, the Math witnesses highest footfalls.
Try not to visit during the monsoon and summer months. During monsoon, the Math remains mostly closed for the tourists because of the fear of floods by the Hoogly River. And during summers, the heat of Kolkata is enough to tire you out easily.
How to reach?
The nearest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. Flights are available from all the cities to Kolkata. From the airport, you can reach Belur Math by hiring a taxi or an auto.
Belur Math is situated near to the Howrah Railway Station. You can book a cab or a taxi from Howrah to reach Belur Math. Bus number 54 runs between Howrah and Belur Math.
You can also catch local trains that ply between Howrah and Belur Railway Station. But this mode of transport is usually not preferred because reaching the main entrance of Belur Math from the Belur Railway Station takes more than 30 minutes.
Opening hours
The Belur Math remains open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. everyday. However, the timings of the temples and the museum are different. Take a look at these timings.
Temples remain open from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the months of April to September. In the months of October to March, the temple remains open from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The Museum remains open only from Tuesday to Sunday. They are open to visitors from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the months of April to September. From October to March, the museum remains open from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.