A visit to Nabadwip

Nabadwip- Mayapur Radha-Krishna Temple

Nabadwip is situated at the junction of the rivers Bhagirathi and Jalangi. This is under the Nadia district of West Bengal. The local language of this place is Bengali.

Nabadwip is famous for Sri Chatanya Mahaprabhu. It is the birth place of Chatanya Mahaprabhu. He was the believer of Lord Krishna. He is the founder of Baishnab Dharma. Sri Chatanya Mahaprabhu  born in the year 1486, February 18. That was Purnima (full moon light). Then his name was Nimai and sometime also called him Gour.

Nabadwip Radha-Krishna Temple

In earlier of his life he was vast learned person in Sanskrit. There was no Sanskrit pandit in Bengal who could defeat Nimai. At that time, often “Maha Tadka Sava (debates congress)” would be arranged and various education-expertise of different location of Bengal would come to Nabadwip and took the part of those debates of expertise. The whole Nabadwip people were gathered there only to hear debates of learned persons; but they would know that ultimately Nimai will win.

Nimai did not believe that anything happening in this world is beyond logic. He always tried to reach at the depth of any matter only to know the matte very well. According to Baishnab Sastra,  Sri, Chatanya Mahaprabhu was an Avatar (personification) of Lord Sri Krishna alias Lord Vishnu.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Then Nabadwip was the capital of Raja Ballal Sen and thereafter Lakshaman Sen, both were the famous ruler of Sen Dynasty. They were ruled over Nabadwip between 1159-1206. In the year 1202, Nabadwip was won by Bakhtiyar Khilji and thus the Muslim rule entered into Bengal.

At that time, Bengal was passing through a critical social situation where the lower casts people would not get chance to enter inside of the Hindu temples and other places of the society where the high casts of the society were already captured. The Brahmin cast was the leader of the society and their instruction also obeyed by the Sen Dynasty. They were always tortured on the lower cast people on different issues.

Then Sri Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu  was started to give them shelter by spreading his two hands. He gave shelter to all kinds of people from all religions. Thus he started one new branch of Hindu religion, namely, Baishnav religion. In the beginning, Brahmins were also tortured him and tried to break his confidence; but they were failed to do so. Lastly, the Baishnav religion was established by him firmly which is now spread up to other Western Countries.

Nabadwip and its district Nadia were always known as greatest learning and intellectual expertise’s land. Earlier the entire Nabadwip was also known as the Oxford of Bengal. Still this fame is continuing as there are having many well-known schools, college & University and these are enriched by best teachers & professors.

The name Nabadwip means together of nine islands. The names of these nine islands are Godrumdwip, Ritudwip, Jahnudwip, Antardwip, Simantadwip, Rudradwip, Madhyadwip, Modadrumdwip, and Koladwip. There are various festivals like Rash Purnima  Guru Purnima,Dol jatra, & other festivals.

Another attraction of Nabadwip is Isakson Temple and there are having of  Radha-Krishna Images. This is situated at Mayapur. This is very short distance from Sri Chaitany Mahaprabhu’s birth place.

We can go from Howrah- Katwa line by train and get down at Nabadwip Station. There are so many arrangements to reach the destination. We can also go by bus and thereafter by boat to cross the river.