Jayrambati

Geography

Jayrambati is three miles to the west of Kamarpukur and two miles to the east of Sihar - the birthplace of Hridayrama Mukhopadhyaya, a nephew of Sri Ramakrishna. Bishnupur and Arambag are twenty-seven miles and twelve miles distant respectively from Jayrambati.

The village, surrounded on all sides by green pastures, untrimmed meadows, trees and shrubs, has a rural atmosphere. The area that extends for about half a mile between this village and the Amodar is very fertile and yields all kinds of vegetables and other agricultural products.

Peace and prosperity

After the birth of Sarada Devi, who is worshipped as Holy Mother, the spiritual consort of Ramakrishna, the village began to show signs of prosperity which was not so much in evidence before her advent. The main source of irrigation of the nearby cultivable lands is the big lake called 'Mother's Tank' where the visitors and the village-folk take their bath and get refreshed. It is said that the Holy Mother in her girlhood used to cut grass for cows in neck-deep water from this very tank. At present water is supplied to this reservoir from the river Amodar by means of an electric pump and is used for the irrigation of the surrounding fields.

There is another tank called 'Barunjjey Pukur' (i.e. Banerji's tank) which lies on the south-eastern corner of this village and is surrounded with palmyra trees.

Birth place of Sarada Devi

Sarada Devi was born in this village in 1853. This village with its sacred traditions has become a holy place of pilgrimage, particularly among followers of Sri Ramakrishna. On one occasion, the Holy Mother, after touching the dust of this place with her forehead, remarked, One's own mother and the land of birth are even far superior to Heaven.

Communication

Jayrambati can be reached from Howrah by train up to Arambagh and then by bus. One can also come by road from Kolkata. Buses are available from Esplanade to Bishnupur which touches Jayrambati in its route.

Temples

The village hosts a temple of Vivekananda monks and the orphanage school for boys that the monks operate. The school hosts around 250 boys, providing them with an education through junior high. There is a temple called "Naranarayan Temple" where a child of below 5 years of age is worshipped as "God Narayan" at 10:00 A.M daily. This is a unique experiment started by Swami Nityanandaji Maharaj of Vivekananda Math to manifest the saying of "Shiva in Jiva". The offerings in this puja are unusual which suits the need of a child like, a pair of shirt and trouser, toys, books, pen and pencil etc.

There is 'Matrimandir" dedicated to Ma Sarada devi, the spiritual consort of Sri Ramakrishna. The temple was constructed on the birthplace of Ma Sarada devi. ( http://belurmath.org/centres/display_centre.php?centre_id=JYR ).

In nearby Sihar village there is an old temple dedicated to Shantinath Shiva. Both Sri Ramakrishna and the Holy Mother visited this temple. A grand fair is organized on the last of day of chaitra (Bengali Calendar)on the occasion of Gajan.