Baranagar and the Kanthadhari Math

A short bus or auto-rickshaw ride north of Dakshineswar, the town of Baranagar (also Barananagar) harbours historical layers that reward the curious visitor. Founded in the early 16th century along the banks of the Ganga, the Kanthadhari Math ranks among the most ancient and significant religious landmarks in the district. According to local tradition, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself stopped here on his way to Puri, donating his rag (cloth) to the worshippers; the math was renamed in his honour. In 1914, the premises became a staging post for Bengali revolutionary nationalists. It was declared a heritage site by the West Bengal Heritage Commission in 2007. Baranagar is home to both the first Ramakrishna Math monastery (older than Belur Math) and the world-renowned Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), founded by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.