The oldest Ramakrishna Temple in our Order
Construction and dedication of the Temple of Lord Sri Ramakrishna
At the behest of Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj and also Swami Shivanandaji the beautiful temple of Lord Sri Ramakrishna was constructed according to plan drawn up by Swami Vijnananandaji Maharaj, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and also under his supervision. It took nearly five years to construct the same. At 9-30 A.M. on 24th February, 1936 Swami Vijnananandaji dedicated the temple to Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna and completed the installation ceremony of the marble idol of Sri Ramakrishna after performance of vedic rituals. During the day time 'Rudrayaga', 'Saptasati Homa' and performance of pujas of many other deities were carried through and at nightfall Kalipuja and singing of Kali-kirtan were organized. On this occasion senior monks like Swamis Dhirananda, Sarvananda, Achalananda, Shankarananda, Jagadananda, Shantananda, Omkarananda and Kaivalyananda were present amongst others. During the great religious congregation held in the afternoon next day noted scholar Pandit Pramatha Nath Tarkabhusan gave discourses on the Bhagavat. The idol of Sri Ramakrishna installed in the temple has its own history. The marble image of Sri Ramakrishna was curved out as desired by the wife of Solicitor Sri Achal Kumar Maitra of Bhawanipore in Calcutta. The lady was an initiated disciple of Swami Brahmananda. One Sri Pandurang Karmakar, a sculptor living at Jhautala Road in Calcutta was provided with a photograph of Sri Ramakrishna, about which Sri Ramakrishna had said that time will come when the said image will be worshipped in all houses, and physical features of His personage were explained. Basing upon the photograph the sculptor prepared a model made of plaster of paris. Swami Brahmanandaji, Swami Saradanandaji and Jogin Ma (Holy Mother's attendant and companion) visited the sculptor's studio twice and having found satisfaction with the model, approved it. But while curving out the figure out of the piece of stone, black spots emerged and as such, the attractive image which was intended for installation at the Belur Math was rejected and lay abandoned at the studio itself. When in 1936, the temple at Advaita Ashrama at Kashi was under construction and talks were underway for dedicating the same on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Nirbharanandaji came to know of the aforesaid marble image. After consulting the other monks he brought the very same image to Kashi and after getting it anointed with a thick coat of oil paint installed in the temple which was dedicated to Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna on 24th February, 1936 the day of His birth centenary.