Ashrama at Fort

Sometime in 1998, Revered Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, the then General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission initiated a research into Swami Vivekananda's stay in Belagavi. It was well known that Swamiji had stayed in Sri Haripada Mitra's house in Belagavi and that Haripada Mitra was a sub-divisional forest officer in 1892 and also that Swamiji had written letters to Haripada Mitra to his Belagavi address from America. But it was not known which particular house in Belagavi it was or even where in Belagavi that house was located!

After a lot of study it was ascertained categorically that Survey No.357, Fort, Belagavi – 590016, was the blessed house of Sri Haripada Mitra where Swamiji had stayed for 9 days in October 1892. Once this was confirmed, an appeal was made by well-wishers to the Karnataka State Government. In response the State Government handed over this building along with 0.8 acres of surrounding land to Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission on June 1, 2000.

After it was handed over, Revered Swami Purushottamanandaji Maharaj was asked to take charge of this centre. Revered Swamiji initiated a structural study of the building to ascertain which parts of the building were original construction and which were later additions. It was then decided to remove all the additions and restore the building to how it was during Swami Vivekananda's stay in 1892. In December 2000, Revered Swamiji shifted to a rented house in Belagavi and the renovation of the building was started. The work took six months since it had to be reinforced by tie-rods to keep the walls from falling apart.

A Journey Through Time

Key Milestones

The renovation was completed in six months. The then Chief Minister Sri S.M. Krishna inaugurated it on 23rd May 2001. Since the land available for the Ashrama was only 0.8 acres, a request was made to the Chief Minister for granting an adjoining vacant piece of land. In due course this land was granted on a yearly lease in February 2002. Construction of a Universal Temple of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna and Sadhu Nivas was started shortly afterwards.

The construction of the Sadhu Nivas and dining hall (Sarada Mantapa) complex was completed by April 2003, allowing the Sadhus and Brahmacharis to shift into the Ashrama premises from their rented accommodation in the city (where they had stayed for nearly two-and-half years).

A grand Universal Temple of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna was consecrated on January 23, 2004 next to the Sadhu Nivas. This 5-day Temple Consecration Ceremony, a unique and one-time event for every Ashrama, was attended by over 300 Sadhus and Brahmacharis and thousands of devotees, making it a landmark event in the history of Belagavi.

The Ashrama has a beautiful temple dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the Avatara of the modern age. The goal of human life, according to Sri Ramakrishna, is the realization of the Ultimate Reality which alone can give man supreme fulfilment and everlasting peace. This is the essence of all religions.

Sri Ramakrishna practiced not only the various disciplines of Hinduism but also other religions like Christianity and Islam, and proved to himself and the world that the same God or Truth can be found through all these various paths. He used to say, “As many faiths, so many paths.” This great universality of Sri Ramakrishna is the reason why the temple dedicated to him is called a Universal Temple.

Five major celebrations are observed in the Temple each year – the programmes on the Jayantis (birthdays) of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda and the events on Guru Purnima and Durgashtami days. Weekly talks on Sundays are held in the Temple.