"EKACHAKRA DHAMA"

THE BIRTHPLACE OF LORD NITYANANDA

(Nitai)
Birchandrapur, Dist. Birbhum
(165km north-west of Sridham Mayapur)
“...without the causeless mercy of Lord Nityananda, one cannot enter into the affairs of Sri Sri
Radha and Krishna” -- Caitanya Caritamrta Adi Lila 5.204

“EKACHAKRA”: “EKA” means one and “CHAKRA” means wheel; this place is
named “Ekachakra” because this is the place where the chariot-wheel fell, which
Lord Sri Krishna took to kill Bhismadeva on the Battle of Kurukshetra. Ekachakra
is the birthplace of Lord Nityananda (Nitai). Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Lord Sri Krishna Himself thus inaugurated His Harinam Sankirtan movement from
the Dwapar-yuga itself.

Ekachakra is located 165km north-west of Mayapur and is easily assessable by car or bus.
Ekachakra village extends north and south for an area of about eight miles. Other villages,
namely Viracandra-pura and Virabhadra-pura, are situated within the area of the village of
Ekachakra. There is a big festival here on Nityananda Trayodasi (Appearance day of Lord
Nityananda) and also on Gosthastami.

“Lord Nityananda”: Lord Sri Krishna, as the Vedic literature ultimately explains, is the
absolute Personality of Godhead, and His first expansion in a form for pastimes is Sri
Balarama. In the age of Kali-yuga, Lord Krishna appears in this material world as Lord
Caitanya, and Balarama appears as Lord Nityananda. Lord Nityananda (also known as
Nityananda Prabhu, Nitai, Nityananda Balarama) appeared as Lord Caitanya’s principal
associate for spreading the chanting of the holy names of Lord Krishna:
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE |
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE ||
in Harinama-sankirtana, or the congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy names, and to
bring the mercy of Lord Krishna to all the fallen, materially conditioned souls.

Lord Nityananda appeared to a pious brahmana family. His father was Hadai Pandita and
mother Padmavati. He appeared in Ekachakra around 20 years before the appearance of
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, on Shukia Trayodashi, in the month of Magha, in the year 1473,
12th of February. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu cannot be approached or understood
without the mercy of Lord Nityananda. He is the cardinal guru of all the universes and
serves as an intermediary between Mahaprabhu and His devotees. A great Vaishnava
acarya Sri Vrindavan Das Thakura, the dear-most & the last initiated disciple of Lord
Nityananda, glorifies his Master in Sri Caitanya Bhagavata as follows:
❖ Lord Nityananda is very effulgent like the brilliant sun. He is statuesque, like
His Master, with the whitish complexion of Lord Balarama. His garments
resemble a cluster of blue lotus flowers and His effulgence is said to surpass
the grandeur of a rising moon at sunset.
❖ He has a deep melodious voice, constantly chanting the holy name and singing
the glories of Lord Sri Krishna day and night.
❖ He is unequalled in the three worlds, non-different from Lord Caitanya.
Absorbed within Himself, He often roared loudly like a lion, for He is the direct
manifestation of Lord Balarama. His beautiful, glowing face easily defeats a
thousand shining full moons. A captivating smile plays sweetly on His
exquisite lips. So white and radiant are His teeth that if a pearl were held next
to them the pearl would look like a faded and discarded piece of glass.
❖ His long, languid eyes steal the pinkish tinge of the early rising sun. His arms
are long and reach down to His knees, and He possesses a robust chest and
broad shoulders. His lotus feet are soft. His gait is graceful. He speak to
everyone with kind words which sever the bonds of material attachment
within everyone's heart.
❖ He carries a red stick with benedictions for the devotees, but feared by the
demoniac. He has the carefree mood of a wild avadhuta, so absorbed is He in
the love of Godhead; no one knows what He will do next.
“EKACHAKRA DHAMA” ENTRANCE
“EKACHAKRA DHAMA” ENTRANCE
DEVOTEES ALONG WITH “GAURA-NITAI” SET OUT FOR EKACHAKRA DHAMA
PARIKRAMA
First stop: BEAUITIFUL NITAI(left)-GAURANGA(right) AT EKACHAKRA ISKCON
TEMPLE
 “GARBHAVASA” or “SOOTIKA MANDIR”:
THIS WHITE TEMPLE IS THE EXACT SPOT WHERE LORD NITYANANDA APPEARED
❖ In Janmasthan Mandir there is a Deity of Nitai (Nityananda). Hadai Pandita
Bhavan is the site of the original house of Nityananda’s father. There are two
banyan trees by this temple that are said to have existed since the time of
Nityananda.
❖ In the centre of the main altar of the temple is a deity of Lord Nityananda.
▪ To His left, with His hands raised, is Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
▪ On Nityananda’s right is Sri Advaita Acarya.
▪ The side of altar has Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Radhakanta and Sri Sri Radha-
Srikanta, a large dancing Gauranga in the centre, and ten brass sakhis at
the bottom.
❖ The temple was constructed by Prasannakumara Karapharma.
NITAI (LORD NITYANANDA) AT “GARBHAVASA” or “SOOTIKA MANDIR”
Main Temple Altar - Lord Sri Nityananda Prabhu (centre), Lord Sri Gauranga
Mahaprabhu (right), Sri Advaita Acarya Prabhu (left)
NITAI (LORD NITYANANDA) AT “GARBHAVASA” or “SOOTIKA MANDIR”
 HADAI PANDITA’S HOUSE

“NITAI KUNDA”
This is the pond besides Lord Nityananda’s house dhotis, plates, utensils etc of Nitai were
washed. Embedded in its core and not visible to material eyes is another kunda named
Ananga Kunda. The pujaris of the temple use water from this kunda for their Deity
worship.
 NITAI KUNDA
“MALA-TALA”
In the courtyard of Lord Nityananda’s house is an old pippala tree called Mala-Tala. Just
before Nitai departed with the unknown sannyasi, Hadai Pandita came here and chanted
japa under this tree. Mala means “japa beads” and tala means “tree”. When Nitai was
about to depart Hadai Pandita left his japa beads here due to anxiety. Lord Caitanya came
to Ekachakra many years after Lord Nityananda left. It is said that at that time Lord
Caitanya left His flower garland on a branch of this tree. Mala also means “garland”.
Therefore also for this reason this tree was called Mala-Tala.
 HANTUGADA or JHANUKUNDA
It is said that Nitai brought all the sacred waters from all the holy places to this
kunda to save the local residents from having to journey to the Ganges to take a
sacred bath. It is named Hantugada because Nitai used to perform the Dadhi-cida
festival of distributing chipped rice with yogurt prasada here and He would take
the prasada while kneeling down. This lake is always full of water throughout the
year. A great fair is held there during Goshthashtami, and there is another big
fair on Lord Nityananda Tryodasi, the Appearance Day of Lord Nityananda.

How to Get There: You get here by walking east out of the village, past the birthplace. It
is a small kunda surrounded by grass and a lone tree, which hangs over the water.
HANTUGADA: Devotee take holy dip at this most auspicious place. At the centre
of the pond is a submerged Temple
 DEVOTEES WALKING TOWARDS “PANDAVA-TALA”
This is a 5mins walk (400m) into the fields, southeast of Lord Nityananda’s
birthplace. The Pandavas lived here with their mother, Kunti, when they were
exiled to the forest.
 DEVOTEES REACHING “PANDAVA-TALA”.
This area is surrounded by a group of Keli-Kadamba trees.
PANDAVA-TALA
SRILA VYASDEVA WITH PANDAVAS
 BHIMA KILLING DEMON BAKASURA
Sikhandabi: This is where Bakasura demon lived, who terrorized the people of
Ekachakra for many years. Demon used to eat one human being from the local
villages in the area of Ekachakra. The people set up a system where one person
from a different family was sent to Bakasura each day. Queen Kunti, the mother
of the Pandavas requested Bhima, who had the strength of 10,000 elephants to
kill this demon. Bhima then killed this demon after a furious fight. In Srimad-
Bhagavatam 1.13.3-4 there is a brief mention of killing of Bakasura demon by
Bhima.
 FOSSILIZED KNEE-CAP OF BAKASURA DEMON
The local pujari says that if the fossil comes in contact with fire it produces a
very bad smell.

“Kundalal Tala” (not in picture): "The place where Lord Nityananda used his earring to block a
snake in his hole, stopping him from disturbing the residents of this area."

#Pastime: This snake was actually an arrow-weapon given by Lord Siva to Arjuna. Arjuna fired it to
kill Bakasura in order to help Bhima who left alone on that mission. By the time the weapon arrived on
the spot Bakasura was already dead and therefore the snake weapon could not complete its mission.
Since then the snake remained in the area and would disturb the locals. When Lord Nityananda heard
of this he blocked the snake in its hole with one of his earrings which magically expanded in size. When
the snake asked Lord Nityananda how he would get his food Lord Nityananda told him that a temple
would be built here and people would regularly come and make offerings of milk and other things. This
pastime is the reason why Lord Nityananda is seen with only one earring in pictures that
depict His later pastimes.
“KUNTI’S DEEP” - THE LAMP USED BY QUEEN KUNTI DEVI
SRI SRI RADHA-KRISHNA DEITIES AT PANDAVA-TALA
 “BAKULA-TALA”-HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami discussing Nitai’s pastimes
Between the birthplace and Jahnu Kund is a Bakula tree where Lord Nityananda
and His boyfriends used to take part in sporting activities known as jhala-
jhapeta. This tree is wonderful because all its branches and sub-branches look
like the hoods of serpents. It has been suggested that by the desire of Nitai,
Anantadeva manifested Himself in that way. The tree is very old. It is said that
formerly it had two trunks, but later on, when the playmates of Lord Nityananda
felt inconvenience in jumping from the branches of one trunk to those of the
other, Lord Nityananda by His mercy, merged the two trunks into one.
 “NARI-PNOTA” or “AMARA PITHA” -
UMBILICAL CORD SAMADHI: Nimai’s umbilical cord was placed here by His
parents Sriman Hadai Pandita & Srimati Padmavati devi
 PADMAVATI KUNDA
It is named after Lord Nityananda’s mother, Srimati Padmavati. Hadai Pandita
received this as gift from his father-in-law, Mukutanarayan Roy. Padmavati
would come here and bathe little Nitai every day. This kunda is behind Lord
Nityananda’s birthplace.
DEVOTEES RELAXING ON THE BANKS OF PADMAVATI KUNDA
“BANKE-RAYE” TEMPLE: The priests of the temple describe that Lord Nityananda
entered within the body of Bankima Raya and departed for His unmanifest
pastimes. The deity of Jahnava-mata was therefore later placed on the right side
of Bankima Raya.

❖ This temple was built under the direction of Virabhadra Gosai, the son of Lord
Nityananda. On the altar of this temple is Lord Krishna as Bankima Raya, who was
originally established by Lord Nityananda. On His left is Srimati Radharani, and on His
right is Jahnava Devi. It is said that Lord Nityananda left this planet by entering into
this Deity. After Lord Nityananda’s disappearance, the Deity of Jahnava was placed to
the right of Bankima Raya. On another throne, to the right of Bankima Raya, is a Deity
of Yogamaya.
❖ In this temple there is also an altar with a Deity of Murali-dhara. It is said that this
Deity was given to Padmavati Devi by the sannyasi Nitai went on pilgrimage with when
He was 12. On the same altar are Deities of Sri Sri Radha-Madhava.
❖ To the right of the altar, outside the gate, is another little temple dedicated to ‘Madana
Mohana Krishna’. On His left is His consort, Srimati Radharani, and on His right is the
gopi Candravali. On the right-side is Sri Sri Radha-Vrindavana Candra. These Deities
are supposed to have been worshiped for 13 generations and are over 450 years old.
❖ After Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Jagannatha Puri, He ordered Lord Nityananda
to return to Bengal and preach. At this time Nityananda returned to Ekachakra after
being gone for almost 30 years. By this time, His parent had already left this world. He
then found the Deity of Bankima Raya in the Yamuna at Kadamba Khandi. He installed
this Deity in a temple. Later, a Deity of Srimati Radharani was discovered in
Bhaddhapur, in the locality of Viracandrapura, underneath the roots of a neem tree,
about ½ mile west. This Deity was installed to the right of Bankima Raya. For this
reason, the Radharani of Bankima Raya was known as Bhaddapurera Thakurani, the
mistress of Bhaddhapura.

#Pastime: About 15 years back some construction workers were restoring the outer
structure of this temple. During the work-break they were smoking. Suddenly a small very
beautifully effulgent boy appeared before them. He started beating fiercely with a stick
chastising them not to smoke at this most auspicious site. Construction workers were
shocked by this. Simultaneously their hearts melted to see the beautiful face of this young
boy. They vowed that they will never smoke for the rest of the life. It is said that this most
beautiful effulgent boy was none other than NITAI (Lord Nityananda).

“KADAM KHANDI”
 The small temple of “Kadam Khandi” marks the spot where Lord Nityananda
recovered the Bankima Raya Deity from the Yamuna river, which is also called
the Maudesvara River. Kardam means clay and khandi means “ghata.” In the rear
of the temple is a small river, the Yamuna. It is said that the Deity of Bankima
Raya was floating in the water and Lord Nityananda picked Him up and then
installed Him in the temple. Thereafter, in a place known as Bhaddapura, in the
village of Viracandra-pura, about half a mile west, in a place underneath a neem
tree, Deity of Srimati Radharani was found. For this reason, the Radharani of
Bankima Raya was known as Bhaddapurera Thakurani, the mistress of
Bhaddapura.

SRI GAURA NITYA NANDA, KRISHNA BALARAMA & SADBHUJA GAURANGA AT

KADAMKHANDI
YAMUNA RIVER, NON-DIFFERENT FROM YAMUNA RIVER AT SRIDHAM
VRINDAVAN
Devotees taking holy dip at Yamuna River
“Mouresvara Siva”: This is an ancient Siva Temple were Hadai Pandita the father
of Lord Nityananda would do his worship. When Lord Nityananda appeared in
Ekachakra this deity roared so loudly that Advaita Acarya and other devotees
could hear and understand the roar's meaning at their distant residences in
Mayapur and Santipur that “Avadhuta” has appeared on this planet.
Fields at Ekachakra Dhama
Transcendentalists discussing Nitai-Katha at Ekachakra Dhama
DEVOTEES HAVING ECSTATIC HARINAM SANKIRTAN AT LORD NITYANANDA’S
EKACHAKRA DHAMA!
 NITAI-PADA-KAMALA - One must take the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord
Nityananda, for He is the original spiritual master. It is by the mercy of Nitai that
we can obtain love of Krishna.
“Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s face is more beautiful and cooling than the autumnal moon. The
effulgence coming out from His body is supremely beautiful. He always moves like a mad
elephant, since He is always intoxicated with Krishna-prema (love of God). He is always
mad after Krishna-prema. His body is completely pure spiritual energy. He always has a
smiling face. His eyes are very fickle, moving to and fro. His lotus hand always holds a
glowing staff. Yes, that is Sri Nityananda, who by the beating of that staff, destroys all our
reactions of Kali-yuga. We should take shelter of Sri Nityananda and cry for the mercy of
Sri Nityananda! He is the root of Krishna-prema bhakti-kalpa-taru, the root of the tree of
loving devotion unto Krishna. I [Vrindavana Das Thakura] do my bhajana of Lord
Nityananda, the very root of the Krishna-Bhakti-Vriskha.”
Lord Nityananda is an ocean of mercy, the shelter of all Vaishnavas and the giver of
devotion.
Supreme Lord Sri Krishna with a wheel (Cakra) at Kurukshetra breaking His vow
for the sake of His dear-most devotee & friend Arjuna, charging towards
Bhismadeva. Arjuna tried to stop Lord Krishna reminding Him of His promise that
He won’t pick up any weapon in Kurukshetra battle. Bhismadeva, another great
devotee of the Lord and one of the twelve Mahajans is fully surrendered to Lord
Krishna’s will and simply waiting to see his beloved Lord approach him. This very
wheel landed here at Ekachakra!

Directions to reach Ekachakra Dhama:

#1) Ekachakra is located about 165 km northwest of Mayapur and takes about four hours
by car or bus. It is 11 miles north of the town of Rampur Hat in the district of Birbhum. It
is 8 miles east of Mallarapura railway station. After Burdwan station is another branch line,
which is called a Loop Line of the eastern railway. This is a station on this line called
Mallarapura. Ekachakra is 8 miles east of this railway station.

#2) Every year during three weeks before Gaura-Purnima, ISKCON Mayapur organizes
regular bus services and guided tours to Ekachakra Dhama. Tours leave early in the
morning from Mayapur reaching Ekachakra at noon. Tours return back to Mayapur in the
evening. Packaged tours to Ekachakra Dhama can also be arranged throughout the year
by contacting Mayapur Tourism office on: www.Mayapur.com

Practicalities: There is a small ISKCON temple in Ekachakra. The local devotee can help
show you the area. There is a small guest house for pilgrims at the temple where one can
stay overnight. This village is very small with limited facilities here.

“RADHA-DESA”:
 Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Adi Lila 13.61- http://vedabase.net/cc/adi/13/61/en1

Ekachakra Temple Project: http://old.mayapur.com/node/862

Ekachakra Dhama Screen-saver (downloadable):

http://screensavers.iskcondesiretree.info/ISKCON_Mayapur_Screensavers/Ekachakra_Dham_Nityananda_Appearance_Pl
ace.exe

Sri Nityananda Lila: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups=#!topic/nectarofdevotion/Pr7jYueLTrs

“Sri Nityanandastaka”: http://www.stephen-knapp.com/prayers_to_lord_caitanya_and_nityananda.htm

Mayapur TV: http://Mayapur.tv

SRI EKACHAKRA DHAMA KI JAI!!!

LORD SRI NITYANANDA KI JAI!!!
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE |
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE ||