Category: Kolkata

Amidst the tiring monotonous life of North Kolkata, quietly stands the residence of the great Mullicks. Pathuriaghata street, was once the abode of the bengali rich. Even in the 21st century the area is replete with colonnaded mansions.The Mullicks have played a very significant role in shaping and preserving the Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal. In course of our pilgrimage across the state, we have come across several significant temples and ancient spiritual sites, which are currently managed or have been renovated by the Mullicks. The Mullicks originally belong to the gold mercantile community (suvarna baniks) and have traditionally been rich businessmen. To get a glimpse of their enormous wealth, one might simply look up the example of Jadulal Mullick who has a road named after him. His son Manmatha Nath Mullick, bought a pair of zebras from the zoo to pull his carriage through the streets of Kolkata. ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ had the good fortune of visiting this ancient residence of the Mullicks here at Pathuriaghata street. We talked to Mr. Rajat Mullick, one of their descendants, and he was more than happy to relate the history of their great lineage to us.

Sri Uddharana Datta Thakura and A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada are the foremost of the great suvarna baniks to have graced our parampara (Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya). To read and relish more about Sri Uddharana Datta, one might refer to our article entitled – ‘Sri Uddharana Datta Thakura Sripat, Adisaptagram (Near bandel)’. Surrendering his life unto the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda, Sri Uddharana, who had hailed from a very opulent gold mercantile family,subsequently renounced his wealth, fame ,prestige and accepted the robes of a mendicant to further the cause of Krishna consciousness. These heart melting pastimes of Adisaptagram (situated in Hooghly, West Bengal) took place around 500 years back.

Srila Prabhupada, the founder acharya of ISKCON, by whose mercy and magnanimity, millions across the world ,can today follow in the footsteps of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates, also traced back his own family lineage to this gold mercantile community in Saptagram.To read more about Srila Prabhupada, please refer to our article entitled – ’The birthplace of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Tollygunge’. Srila Prabhupada once mentioned how the Britishers had established Calcutta, taking the financial help and assistance of these suvarna baniks (Gold merchants).These businessmen had come down from their ancestral homes in Adisaptagram, to set up their businesses here in Calcutta. The Bengalis with the title De ,Sil or Mullick actually belong to this same family lineage and hence share the same gotra (Srila Prabhupada’s earlier name was ‘Abhaya Carana De’). The title ‘Mullick’ was later awarded by the Muslim rulers to those in this community, who intimately associated and conducted business with them.But despite the differences in their surnames, all these family members share a common ancestral root.

The Mullicks of pathuriaghata street have also originally hailed from Adisaptagram. Rajaram Mullick, their ancestor, was the first in their family, to shift his residence to Kolkata and set up his business over here.‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ would now like to take this opportunity to reminisce about the significant spiritual sites of Bengal, which the Mullicks have been instrumental in preserving and promoting.

Situated on the bank of the Ganges at the heart of North Kolkata, the Baghbazar Gaudiya Math represents the rich cultural and Vaishnava heritage of Bengal. Presently under the authority of the Gaudiya mission, the Baghbazar Gaudiya Math was established by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (spiritual master of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) on the 5th of october,1930. Sri Jagabandhu Dutta belonging to the Banaripara of District of Barisal (Bangladesh) procured a piece of land on the bank of the Ganges at Baghbazar and donated it to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta for the purpose of establishing this temple. Calcutta was then the capital of British India. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, after having established the Caitanya Math at Mayapur (refer – ‘Sri Caitanya Math , Sri Chandrasekhar Acharya Bhavan (Masir Bari), Mayapur, Navadvipa’) wanted to open a main center ,his head office, in this capital city. This beautiful temple, ornamented with marble halls, is situated at a place where Mahaprabhu had once rested for sometime while travelling from Jagannath Puri to Baranagar (refer – ‘Sri Bhagavatacharya’s residence,Baranagar Path bari’). Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had spent the last six years of his manifested pastimes here at the Baghbazar Gaudiya Math. His Bhajana kutira and the room where he used to live, has been carefully preserved till this day.

‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ considers itself exceedingly fortunate to have been able to visit the Baghbazar Gaudiya Math.The grandeur and the imposing presence of this ancient temple has mesmerized us. The enchanting deities of Sri Gaura Radha Binodananda jiu continue to bestow their merciful darsana upon one and all.We seek blessings of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and would like to beg for his permission, in order to pen a few lines in his glorification.

Amidst the hustling busy streets of North kolkata, quietly resides an exalted spiritual destination. Referred today as the ‘Ha Gauranga Matha’, is the sacred place where Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu  halted on His way to Jagannatha Puri, in order to quench His thirst by drinking some water. There is an inscription on the temple walls, which describes that after leaving Baranagar, Lord Caitanya reached here travelling through the bank of mother ganges. Here He stopped for a while to drink some water and thereby sanctified this place with the dust of His lotus feet. After He had finished, He continued on His journey and halted next at the ashrama of Sri Ananta Acharya, who then used to reside at Atisara (present day Baruipura). ‘The Gaudiya Treasures of Bengal’ has covered Lord Caitanya’s visit to Baruipura in a separate article entitled  – ‘Sri Ananta Acharya’s Sripat, Baruipura’.