Surabhi Kunja
The place where Surabhi and Indra were performing Gaura Bhajana is known as Surabhi Kunja. Presently there is a Gaudiya Matha temple at Surabhi Kunja and the deities are worshiped in a small house. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also stayed at this place for a few years. This temple is located on the bank of the Jalangi River.
The Headquarters of Nityananda Prabhu
Bhaktivinoda Thakura lived here for many years before moving into his house further down the road at Sivananda Sukhada Kunja. It is interesting to note that this place is where Lord Nityananda established the headquarters for his Nama Hatta preaching in Bengal here. Then, four hundred years after Nityananda Prabhu, Thakura Bhaktivinoda, who took initiation in the line of Jahnava Devi. Lord Nityananda's eternal consort led a revival of Nama Hatta preaching throughout Bengal and other parts of India from this same area.
This place is non-different from Surabhivana in Vrindavana. It fulfills the desires of devotees and one who builds a cottage and worships here, will easily become absorbed in Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lotus feet.
Practical Guide to Surabhi Kunja
Darsana times: 9am to 12.30pm and 4pm to 8 pm.
Directions: Go to Hulor Ghata by walking fifteen minutes down Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Marga, or by rickshaw from the ISKCON main gate. Take a boat across the Sarasvati River to Hular Ghata. After getting off the boat, walk down the path until you reach the road. Rickshaw drivers will be there, or you can walk by turning left and proceeding down the road for approximately fifteen minutes. Soon after you make a sharp left turn on this road, you will see a faded signboard high up on a building on the left side saying, "Surabhi Kunja Gaudiya Matha." If the steel gate is shut, either pushes it open or bang on it and call out.
Presiding Deities: Sri Sri Radha Krishna is being worshiped here.
Points of Interest:
1. Banyan tree: Mother Surabhi performed austerities and lived under a huge banyan tree here. This tree is now unmanifest but a Tulasi plant (growing on the left side of the courtyard) identifies the area where it used to be.
2. Cow: There is also a very nice friendly cow in the courtyard which is not surprising for the place of
Mother Surabhi, who is a desire cow from the heavenly planets.
