Radha Kanta Matha, Puri,
Odisha
Radha Kanta Matha is a religious
mutt, located in located in Puri, a famous
pilgrimage town in the state of Odisha, India. This place is also known as
Kashi Mishra’s house. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed in a room in Kashi Mishra’s
house called Gambhira for the last twelve years of his life. The Mutt is
situated south east of the Jagannatha temple in Bali Sahi, on the way to
Svargadvara., also known as Radha Kanta Matha. The Mutt is located at about 1
Km from Jagannath Temple, 2.5 Kms from Puri Bus Stand and 3 Kms from Puri
Railway Station.
History
Purusottama Deva, father of King
Prataparudra, invaded Kanchipuram area and defeated the King
of Kanchipuram in battle. He victoriously returned to Puri with three
idols Radha Kanta, Sakshi Gopala and Bhada Ganesha as souvenir. It is
said that he installed all the idols in Jagannath Temple. Bhada Ganesha is
still worshipped in an inner courtyard just behind Jagannath temple.
It is said Radha
Kanta was also worshipped inside the Jagannatha Temple for some time.
Lord Jagannath appeared in the dreams of King Prataparudra and complained about
Radha Kanta taking all nice items from his bhoga plate. Hence, the Lord
requested him to remove the idol from the Temple. Shocked king requested his Gurudev
Kashi Mishra to take the Radha Kanta to his house.
During the Kashi Mishra’s time,
only Sri Radha Kanta was worshipped here. Later, when Gopala
Guru became the Mahanta of the Matha, he installed a deity
of Radharani on the left side of Radha Kanta and a deity
of Lalita Devi on the right side. He also established the deities of
dancing Gauranga and Nityananda on the left and right side of Radha
Kanta.
When Mahaprabhu came
to Jagannatha Puri after taking Sannyasa, He stayed
at Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya’s House. But after his return to Puri
finishing his south Indian tour, he stayed at Kashi
Mishra’s House. Kashi Mishra was Rajguru of
King Prataparudra, and King had gifted him a house with a large garden
near the temple. King Prataparudra was a great devotee of Sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He suggested to Sarvabhauma that Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu can stay in Kashi Mishra’s house.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu decided
to stay in Kashi Mishra’s house in a very small room called Gambhira. He
stayed in Gambhira for the last twelve years of his life. Gopala Guru, the
disciple of the Vakreshvara Pandita, served Mahaprabhu from early
childhood at Gambhira. After the disappearance of Vakresvara Pandita,
Gopala Guru received the charge of the Seva of Sri Radha
Kanta and Gambhira.
The Mutt
The Mutt is renowned for having
the Gambhira or the room where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu lived in Puri.
His staff, water pot, bed and sandals are still preserved here. There is a
lamp here that is never extinguished. It has nice exhibits of Sri Chaitanya’s
Lila pastimes. This Mutt also houses the stone idol of Radhakanta is said to
have been brought from Kanchi by King Purushottama
Deva.
There are idol of Radharani on
the left side and an idol of Lalita Devi on the right side of Radha
Kanta can be seen. Idols of dancing Gauranga and Nityananda on the left
and right side of Radha Kanta can also be seen. The deity of Gopala
Guru can be found at the entrance of Sri Radha Kanta Temple, facing
east.
Contact
Radha Kanta Matha,
Puri – 752 001, Odisha
Mobile: +91 67522 32403 / 94372 03862
Email: krushna_g@yahoo.com
Connectivity
For brief details, please refer below link;
Location
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