Holy Place Introduction

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in Mayapur, Navadvepa. He, along with His associates, started the saìkértana movement in Navadvepa. But interestingly, most of Lord Caitanya’s associates – and even His ancestors – are not from Navadvépa. They all appeared in various parts of India, but to assist Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His pastimes, they all moved to Navadvépa on the pretext of living on the banks of the Ganges.

It is stated in Caitanya-bhägavata:

käro janma navadvépe, käro cäöigräme
keha räòhe, oòhra-deçe, çréhaööe, paçcime

“Some took birth in Navadvépa, some in Caööagräma, some in Räòha-deça, some in Orissa, some in Çréhaööa, and some in the West.”

nänä-sthäne avatérëa hailä bhakta-gaëa
navadvépe äsi’ sabära haila milana
navadvépe haiba prabhura avatära
ataeva navadvépe milana sabära

“Although the devotees appeared in various places, they all met together in Navadvépa.Because the Lord would appear in Navadvépa, the devotees all gathered together.”

(Ädi-khaëòa 2.31, 53-54)

Many of Lord Caitanya’s associates are from present-day Bangladesh, which was then part of Gauòadeça.Of the five of Païca-tattva, two are from Bangladesh (Advaita Äcärya&ÇréväsaPaëòita). PuëòarékaVidyänidhi, Vasudeva Datta, Mukunda Datta, and Haridäsa Öhäkura, all of whom were Lord Caitanya’s close associates, appeared in Bangladesh. Although Lord Caitanya appeared in Navadvépa, His father and mother took birth in Sylhet, Bangladesh, and great äcäryas like MädhavendraPuré, Narottama däsaÖhäkura, LokanäthaGosvämé, Gaura Kiçora däsa Bäbäjé, Vaàsédäsa Bäbäjé Mahäräja, and Gaìgä Mätä Gosväméniall took birth in Bangladesh.
From this we can understand the sacredness of this tract of land now known as Bangalesh. Even to this day, we witness Vaiñëava culture and behaviour among the people of Bangladesh.

Since many great devotees appeared there, the culture of sanatana-dharma – and especially the culture of the saìkértana movement – was well established in Bangladesh. That sacred culture is still practiced by people there: the culinary style, clothing and attire, congregational chanting (nagar-saìkértana) in the morning and evening in villages, and so many other things that bear the stamp of the saìkértana movement started by Lord Caitanya. Still we can see there the old houses, bhajana-kuöiräs, and temples built more than 500 years ago.

Dedication

We are pleased to dedicate this book to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who translated Çré Caitanya-caritämåtato English so that the whole world could know about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the transcendental pastimes of the Lord and His associates.
To benefit the entire world, Çréla Prabhupäda also instituted the Bhaktivedanta Charity Trust for developing and preserving Gaura-maṇḍala Bhūmi.

You can see other Holy Place in Bangladesh. Click Here