Mayapur ( Bengali : মায়াপুর ) is located on the banks of the Ganges river, at the point of its confluence with the Jalangi , near Navadvip , West Bengal , India , 130 km north of Kolkata ( Calcutta ). It is The Head Quarters of ISKCON and is considered a holy place by a number of other traditions within Hinduism , but is of special significance to followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the birthplac
e of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu , regarded as aspecial incarnation of Krishna in the mood of Radha . Mayapur can be reached by boat, and more commonly by train or bus. ISKCON Kolkata operates regular bus service from Kolkata to Mayapur . [ 1 ] Frequent train service is available to Krishnanagar, Nadia from Kolkata's Sealdah Station , [ 2 ] then 18 km by auto or cycle rickshaw to Mayapur . [ 3 ] During the visit one can see "the hugeheadquarters of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness ( ISKCON )" and "a long stream of saffron-robed devotees chanting" the Hare Krishna mantra . A main attraction in Mayapur is Srila Prabhupada's Samadhi Mandir, a memorial to ISKCON's founder. The main shrine is surrounded by a museum depicting Srila Prabhupada's life, using fiberglass exhibits. The International Society of Krishna Consciousness is also planning to construct a garden in memory of George Harrison . [ 5 ] Also there are frequent trains from Howrah to Nabadweep Dham on the Howrah-Katwa section of Eastern Railway.Take a Cycle Rickshaw from Nabadweep Dham station to Mayapur Ghat at Rs. 40. Cross the Ganga and Jalangi Rivers by local ferry to opposite side Hulor Ghat at Rs.2. On reaching Hulor Ghat it is only 2kms by Cycle-rickshaw to ISKCON temple.
[ edit ] Gaudiya Vaishnava temples
The headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) have been located in Mayapur since the 1970s. In addition, there are a number of other Gaudiya Vaishnava organisations in Mayapur , such as the Gaudiya Math . The town is heavily centred around this particular Vaishnava religious tradition, officiallyknown as the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya , with temples devoted to Radha and Krishna or Gaura - Nitai throughout; however, there is asizeable Muslim population in the historical centre, previously called Miyapur.
