Gundicha Mandir (Temple)
This temple is located at the end of Grad road (the
main road) about 3-km northeast of the Jagannatha temple.
At the time of the 'Ratha-Yatra' festival, Lord Jagannatha
goes to the Gundicha temple and stays there for one
week. After one week He returns to His original temple.
It is said that the wife of 'Indradyumna', the king
who originally established the temple of Jagannatha,
was known as "Gundicha". The cleansing of
the Gundicha temple takes place the day before the Ratha-Yatra
festival as mentioned in "Chaitanya-Caritamrita".
Non-Hindus can walk within the walls and see the beautiful
garden, but they are not allowed in the temple building.
Narasimha
Temple
This temple is located next to the Gundicha Temple.
There are two Deities of Lord Narasimha, one behind
the other. The Deity in front is called "Santa
Narasimha" (sober). Anyone who sees this Deity
will be cooled down; all his anger, frustration and
anxiety will vanish.
The Deity in the back
is called "Raga Narasimha" (anger) he is the
internal mood of Narasimha. When the Muslim 'Kalapahad'
attacked Puri and was breaking the Deities, he saw Santa
Narasimhadeva and his anger subsided; hence he could
not break the Deity as he had planned. Santa Narasimha's
features are human-like. He has a sharp human nose,
large, curly mustache, and an outstretched tongue.
Lord Chaitanya took 'darsana'
here during his Gundicha pastimes. Lord Chaitanya rested
near this temple after cleaning the Gundicha Temple.
Non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple, but one can
see the Deities standing by the door.
Haridasa
Thakura's Samadhi
The Samadhi temple of Haridasa Thakura, the Nama-Acharya
(teacher of the chanting the holy names) is located
by the beach in the "Swarga Dwara" area near
the "Purusottama Gaudiya Math". Within the
temple, the chapel structure is Haridasa Thakura's samadhi.
There is a very nice painting of Haridasa Thakura in
the samadhi. On the center alter is a wooden Deity of
Lord Chaitanya, on the right altar, Lord 'Nityananda'
and on the left, Advaita Acarya.
Sri Chaitanya gave a benediction
saying, "Anyone who has chatted and danced here
at Haridasa Thakura's samadhi will achieve the favor
of Krishna very soon. There is such wonderful power
in seeing Haridasa Thakura."
Residence of
Haridasa Thakura
Siddha Bakula is the "Bhajan-Kutir"
of Haridasa Thakura, where he chanted 300,000 names
of God daily. In order to provide shade for Thakura
Haridasa, Sri Chaitanya planted a toothpick used by
Lord Jagannatha. All of a sudden it grew up and appeared
as a great shade tree. Rupa Goswami recited "Lalita
Madhava" and "Vidagdha Madhava" before
Sri Chaitanya and his followers under the tree here.
During his stay in Puri, Santana Goswami lived here
with Haridasa Thakura. This is considered a very holy
spot for the "Gaudiya Vaisnavas", as this
where left his body and where, after his departure,
Sri Chaitanya carried his body while dancing in ecstasy.
Sri
Haridasa-Sadbhuj Temple
About a hundred feet away in the same compound of the
residence of Haridasa Thakura is the Sri Haridasa-Sadbhuj
Temple. There is a "Sadbhuj-Murti" (six-armed
form) of Lord Chaitanya on the altar. Beside this Deity
is Lord Nityananda on one side and on the other side
a shorter Advaita Acharya. A 'Murti' of Haridasa Thakura
is in front, to the side of the main altar. There is
also a Deity of Lord 'Narasimhadeva'.
Gambhira
Gambhira is located close to Siddha Bakula. There is
a sign over the door that says "Shri Radhakanta
Math, Gambhira." It is about half a km from the
Lion Gate going toward Swarga Dwara or the ocean. On
the left of the entrance is a small temple with Deities
of 'Radhakanta' (Krishna), 'Lalita' and 'Vishaka'. Radhakanta
were worshiped by Gopalaguru Goswami, the disciple of
Vakreswara Pandita. On the far right is Lord 'Gauranga'
and on the far left is Nityananda.
This is the former house
of 'Kasi Misra'. One can look through a small barred
window into the room called "Sri Gambhira".
This is the room where Sri Chaitanya lived. There is
a lamp here that remains always lit and never goes out.
One can see Sri Chaitanya's original wooden sandals,
His quilt, water pot, and bed. Sri Chaitanya lived for
12 years in this room. On a marble throne, a cloth encircles
the 'Murti' of Sri Chaitanya, so that just His face
is visible. Upstairs there are dioramas of the life
of Sri Chaitanya.
Sarvabhauma
Bhattacarya's House
This house is about one-half kilometre south of the
"Simha-Dwara" (main gate) of the Jagannatha
Temple. If one walks out of the Jagannatha Temple, turn
right and follow the road toward Swarga-Dwara. Go past
the first right, which goes around the temple, and then
walk about another 100m and make the next right to Sweta
Ganga Tank.
"Sarvabhauma's House",
better known as "Gangamata Math", is on the
left. There are Radha-Krishna Deities called "Radha-Rasikaraja"
in this house, which are said to have been worshiped
by 'Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya'. Inside there are paintings
of devotional scenes all over the walls. The black wooden
sandals are said to have belonged to Sarvabhauma. There
is a hidden tunnel in the house, which is said to lead
in two directions- to the sea and to the Jagannatha
Temple. It is said that Sri Chaitanya used this tunnel.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakura's Birthplace
It is located about 1-km from the Jagannatha Temple
on Grand Road. There is a Gaudiya Math temple here with
Jagannatha Deities and a Murti of Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja.
There are also Murtis of the heads of the four "Vaishnava
Sampradayas" - 'Vishnuswami', 'Madhvacharya', 'Nimbarka',
and 'Ramanuja'.
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