RKM Students Home HeadQuarters

Headquarters

     The headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are situated at an area named Belur in the district of Howrah, West Bengal, India. The entire campus of the headquarters is popularly known as ‘Belur Math?? Sprawling over forty acres of land on the western bank of the river Hooghly (Ganga), the place is an hour’s drive from Kolkata.

     The work of coordinating and supervising the innumerable activities of the 176 branch centres of the Math and Mission is carried on in this office by the General Secretary, assisted by four Assistant Secretaries. The Secretariat has various departments such as Central Office, Cash, Accounts, Investments, Audit, Law, Relief and Rehabilitation, Welfare, Construction and Maintenance, etc.

     It was at Belur Math that Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), the foremost disciple of Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886), lived the last years of his brief life. He consecrated the grounds in 1898 by worshipping the urn containing the sacred relics of Sri Ramakrishna, which he himself carried on his shoulders to the place of worship. On that occasion he uttered these prophetic words about Belur Math: “The blazing light of universal harmony that will emanate from here will flood the whole world." On another occasion he said that “the power that will have its rise from here [Belur Math] will flood the whole world and turn the course of men's lives into different channels; from this place will spring forth ideals which will be the harmony of Knowledge, Devotion, Yoga, and Work ... all true seekers of spirituality will in course of time assemble here.?? True to that prophecy, Belur Math has become the hub of a worldwide spiritual movement known as the Ramakrishna Movement.

     The serene campus of Belur Math on the Ganga includes temples dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, in which their relics are enshrined, and the main monastery of the Ramakrishna Order. The place has been sanctified by the stay of Swami Vivekananda and most of the monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna who spent several years here. Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi also visited this place on several occasions.