The main pilgrimage temple built by the Math in the twentieth century (distinct from the birthplace rooms) stands on a raised plinth at the centre of the complex. Constructed in a style that draws on north Indian temple architecture while incorporating Bengali elements, it is a substantial and imposing building whose interior houses the principal worship image of Ramakrishna in a meditative posture. The temple's puja schedule runs five times daily from the pre-dawn arati to the evening closing; attending any of these is a straightforward matter of arriving at the right hour and sitting quietly in the main hall.
The evening arati (approximately 6:30-7pm, varying seasonally) is the most popular service: the hall fills with devotees, conch shells are blown, incense clouds the air and the priests perform a flowing lamp-waving ritual before the image. For those unfamiliar with the form, it is a sensory experience of considerable power regardless of one's relationship to the theology.
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