Mayapur tourism and travel guide
Mayapur India
4.5/5
Best Session
January - December
Ideal Duration
2
Station:
Nabadwip (25 Km)
Major Airports
Kolkata (125 Km)
Weather
45.02 ° C
Weather Type
Clear
Price On Request
onwards
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Overview
Mayapur a very holy and sacred place is located on the banks of the Ganges river. It is at the point of the confluence of Ganga with the Jalangi. Mayapur Dham is one of the nine islands of Navadweep and is situated 130 km north of Kolkata. Krishna Devotees consider this place as pious as Mathura or Vrindavana.
Mayapur holds a special place in the heart of the Gaudiya Vaishnaviites as it is the place where in 1486 AD. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu regarded as an incarnation of lord Krishna was born.
Chants of Hare Krishna, reverberates the air of this place with devotees dancing and singing in ecstasy. The atmosphere here is very serene and fills your mind with peace. ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness established their centre in the 1970s thus transforming the whole place.
There are many attractions in and around Mayapur which can be fully enjoyed if you plan to stay here a couple of days. During Janmashtami, Dol yatra( Holi) and other festivals of the Vaishnava calendar Mayapur is thronged by a large number of visitors as well as devotees.
Mayapur is easily accessible from nearby places like Kolkata, Krishnnagar, Burdwan, etc by road and rail. The nearest Railway station is Navadweep while for people preferring to reach by air the nearest airport is the Netaji Subhash International Airport. Regular buses are available for Navadweep from Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal.
Mayapur Dham is an easily accessed place with good rail and road networks. The nearest Railway Station to Mayapur is the Nabadweep Dham Railway station(NDAE)
How to Reach Mayapur by Railway: Both Sealdah and Howrah are connected to Navadweep Dhamby local and express trains. Here are them.
How to Reach Mayapur by Road: Buses are available for Mayapur from Kolkata. ISKCON itself provides a bus service that starts from their temple premises at Albert Road Kolkata to the temple at Mayapur. The journey takes around 4 hours. For details, you can get in touch with your nearest ISKCON center. Besides Kolkata`s Esplanade Bus stand regular buses are available for Nabadweep.
From Krishna Nagar Bus Stand regular buses and autos operate to Mayapur which takes about 40 minutes. From Burdwan’s Teen Koniya More Bus stand lot of buses are available for Nabadweep from where Mayapur is just a boat ride away.
How to Reach Mayapur by Boat: Arriving from Kolkata by train at Nabadweep station you need to head straight by a cycle Rickshaw to the Ferry Ghat at Nabadweep. The expansive waters of the Ganga River separate it from Mayapur. The Boat ride takes about 15 minutes and costs Rs 7 per head. It’s a nice experience. Once at Mayapur, a cycle Rickshaw can take you to all attractions.
If coming via Krishna Nagar then you can take a three-wheeler to reach Mayapur Ghat in Swarup Ganj and then take a boat ride to cross the Jalangi River to reach Hular Ghat of Mayapur. A Rickshaw will take you to the ISKCON Mayapur temple.
Driving Directions
Mayapur in Nadia district is a peaceful place flocked by millions of pilgrims every year. Nestled in Kolkota, East India, this destination is generally known in the form of a pilgrimage center. The temples of Radha and Krishna are famous all over India. The ISKCON temple, Sri Chaitanya Math and Chand Kazi’s Samadhi are the main attractions of the region which can be visited by the pilgrims while on a tour to Mayapur. The Neta ji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the nearest airport, located 83 Kms away from Mayapur. The Howrah and Burdawan railway stations are the nearest rail heads which provides an excellent connectivity with the neighboring cities dotting Mayapur. The NH 34 is only link which connects Mayapur by road. Bethuadahar, Muragacha, Sonadanga, Navadvipa, Badkulla and Debagram are well connected by NH 34 link
The places of attractions in the Mayapur are generally the temples situated within the ambit of Mayapur. The attractions in Mayapur are as follows;
ISKCON Chandrodaya Temple: This huge temple with large, well laid out gardens is intended to replicate Vrindavan. There are guest houses, an office, library, a restaurant, a complex where bhog is served, the main Chandrodaya temple, Srila, Prabhupada’s Samadhi and his Bhajan Kutir, gurukuls, residences, kitchens, and a goshala.
Location: 2 Km North-East of the ghat, next to the bus stand.
Timings: 4.15 to 5:00 Am, 7:15 Am to 1:00 Pm, 4:00 Pm to 8:00 Pm.
Related Information: Worship starts with Mangal aarti at 4:30 Am. The next puja aarti, kirtan, and dancing takes place, at 6:00 Pm followed by the blog, a scrumptious seven-course vegetarian meal, at the lunch or the dinner buffet for just Rs 15 per person
Sri Chaitanaya’s birth place: Also known as Yoga Peeth(meeting place), this site was established by Acharya Bhaktivinoda Thakur in 1893, whose shrine stands just inside the gates. Kirtan and dances are here performed every day.
Location: Less than 1Km North of ISKCON. Timings: 8:30 Am to 11:00 Am, 3:30 Pm to 8:00 Pm.
Sri Chaitanya Math: The world headquarters of the Chaitanya Math was established by the Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Saraswati Thakur: in the year 1918. The large complex houses a monastery and there are two lakes; the Shyam Kund and the Radha Kund. The main temple has a shrine to Radha-Krishna and to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Location: 2Km north of ISKCON
Timings: 6:00AM-Noon, 4:00PM to 8:00PM.
Nearby Places & Excursions
There are many nearby places around Mayapur which you can cover very easily from Nabadweep. They range from temples, palaces and shopping of Textile items. Let’s have a look at the same.
Nabadweep
Nabadweep is just about 120 km north of Kolkata. Nabadweep in the Nadia district is a place with immense historical importance. During the 12th century, the reign of Sen Rulers, it was the capital of Bengal. Nabadweep essentially means nine islands due to the nine islands that rose from the River Jalangi. It is at the confluence point of the Bhagirathi and the Jalangi River. It would be no exaggeration to term Nabadweep as the city of temples because of the presence of near about 185 temples. Some prominent temples include the Sonar Gouranga Temple that has a golden statue of Mahaprabhu, Devananda Gaudiya Math, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. The place sees heavy tourist inflow during the Rash festival of Kartik (November).
Krishnanagar
Krishna Nagar is the erstwhile capital of the famous King of Bengal Maharaja Krishnachandra. Krishna Nagar is around 118 km north of Kolkata. The attractions here include the Royal palace or the Raj Bari with a beautiful Durga temple in the grounds. Some of the cannons used in the battle of Plassey between Clive and Siraj ud-Daulah can also be seen at the palace grounds. The Roman Catholic Church with sculpture and oil paintings is another major draw here.
Shantipur
Shantipur is a small village 20 km from Krishnanagar. Shantipuri Saris is now famous across India. The handwoven cotton sarees, known as Tant sarees are a very good wear during the hot and humid conditions and comes in a variety of styles and textures. This place must figure in the itinerary of every women traveler.
Katwa
Katwa around 45 km from Mayapur is the place very much associated with the sacred memories of Lord Sri Chaitanya. It was here at Keshava Bharati Maharaja’s ashram, was Sri Chaitanya accepted renunciation. Besides, there are many temples in and around the Katra Municipality.
Bandel
Bandel is about 80 km from Mayapur and 43 km from Kolkata is famous for the Basilica of Our Lady of Bandel, the oldest church in Bengal. The Portuguese Basilica or the Bandel Church was built in 1660 by Gomez De Soto.
Ambika Kalana
Ambika-Kalna is around 40 km from Mayapur and is situated across the river Ganges from Santipur. Ambika Kalana is also a place associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and a must-visit for tourists and devotees alike. A temple built by Zamindar of Burdwan till today stands in the Ambika Kalana village. It is believed that Gauridasa Pandita and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu met under a Tamarind tree in front of the temple. It is also believed that a copy of the commentary by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on Bhagavad Geeta still exists in the temple.
Weather: The Weather in Mayapur is hot and humid during summers. The temperature in Summers ranges from 40 degrees to minimum 30 degrees Celsius during summers. April to June are the hottest months in Mayapur.
July to September are the three months when the weather is completely humid and the whole region gets draped in the lush green beauty.
October to March is the longest season when there is coolness in the air and the weather is moderate. The temperature during this season ranges from 28 degrees Celsius to 25 Degree Celsius.
Important & Useful Facts
State: West Bengal
Important Temples: In Shri Dham Mayapur; ISKCON Chandrodaya temple, Yoga Peeth, Sri Chaitanya Math, Sri Narasimha Temple, Sri Devenanda Goudiya Math, Sri Shonar Gouranga Temple, Shri Chaitanya Saraswat math.
Location: Navadipa, in Nadia district which borders Bangladesh, consists of nine islands through which meanders the river Ganga; Mayapur lies across the river.
Distances: 105km North of Howrah, 114 km North of Kolkota.
Best Time to Visit: March to October is best, but in heavy rains(Jun-September), the river often rises in places, rendering the sites non-navigable.
Where to Eat: The Govinda restaurant provides various types of delectable cuisines. North Indian fare, sandwiches, pizzas, sweets and beverages are offered at moderate prices.
Where to Stay: Mayapur comprise of many budgets as well as luxury accommodations in the regions. ISKCON Guest House and Shri Saraswat Chaitanya Math are amongst the known once where the pilgrims can have a memorable stay experience.
Nearest airport: Kolkota airport, connected to the major cities. Taxi charges Rs 1700
Nearest Rail Head: Krishnanagar City junction which is connected to Kolkota’s Sealdah Station.
By Road: Buses leave the Central bus stop in Esplanade in Kolkota for Mayapur(5hrs, Rs 50 per person one-way).
Shopping: The temple in ISKCON complex sells exquisite icons, statues and decortaive images of Krishna and Radha. There is also a book store that sells Vaishanava literature. The roads outside the temples in Mayapur and Navadipa are crowded with sellers of religious brassware. The handicrafts of ancient origin can be observed at this place. The real piece of art works that are worth purchasing are the idols of Lord Krishna and other deities. These idols or statues have been intricately carved by the local artisans, tribes men and professionals who have been in this profession from centuries. The pilgrims while on a Mayapur trip can also purchase various artifacts as well as murals special created to make the decors of the home look more beautiful.
