Ramakrishna Math (Yogodyan), previously known as “Ramakrishna Yogodyan Math” and originally known as “Sri Sri Ramakrishna Samadhi Mahapeeth Sri Yogodyan” came into existence before formation of the first Ramakrishna Math at Baranagore on 19^th October,1886.

On 26^th December, 1883, Yugavatar Bhagawan Sri Ramkrishna himself, accompanied by few devotees, had visited this Garden House, purchased by his lay disciple Sri Ramchandra Dutta and being delighted to see the beauty, serenity and solitude of this place, named this garden as Yogodyan (a garden congenial for spiritual contemplation).

Again, sometime in 1885, Sri Ramakrishna had come here for the second time.  After the Mahasamadhi of Sri Ramakrishna on Sunday, 16th August 1886, a portion of his Holy Relics was enshrined at this garden by his monastic and lay disciples on Monday, 23^rd August, 1886 (Janmastami Tithi).

Since then, sanctified by the visit of Sri Ramakrishna, this place is considered as a place of holy pilgrimage for the devotees and admirers of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Movement and it is believed that the spirit of Sri Ramakrishna is very much alive here, the holy touch of his feet having made every inch here resplendent with divine glory.

On 21^st March, 1943 this sacred place became one of the main branch centres of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math.

Sri Ramchandra Dutta, a renowned chemist of Calcutta Medical College, came under the influence of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa of Dakshineswar possibly around 1879 and soon became a staunch devotee of Him. He used to live in Madhu Roy Lane of Simla, North Calcutta. Sri Ram Chandra Dutta along with other fellow devotees used to love singing Kirtans loudly in his house until very late in the night, much to the inconvenience and annoyance of his neighbours. Neither pleading nor force could stop the Kirtans. On one occasion, when Sri Ramakrishna had come to Ramchandra’s house on an invitation, one distinguished member of the neighbourhood came and complained to Sri Ramakrishna about their inconvenience. Sri Ramakrishna then advised the devotees to sing a little less loudly. The devotees tried to do so, but this could not quench their devotional thirst. Finally, Ramchandra sought permission of Sri Ramakrishna to look for a secluded place to perform their Kirtans peacefully with full vigour. Sri Ramakrishna was pleased, gave his consent and asked him to find ‘a place where no one would even know if hundred murders were to be committed’ [a Bengali phrase used to describe an utterly uninhabited, desolate place].

With this permission Ramchandra set out to find a congenial place and at last came across a desolated place within vast marshy land at Kankurgachhi in East of Kolkata, belonging to Mohammed Abdus Wahab. The place measuring about an acre had a small garden house with a pond in the middle. In 1883, the garden was purchased by Nityagopal Ghosh, a cousin brother of Ramchandra, at a cost of Rs. 800/-, but the deed was executed in the name of latter. Thus the desired place was acquired, however, Kirtans did not begin immediately. A caretaker was appointed there by Ramchandra to develop vegetable and flower gardens.

Knowing about procurement of this place, one day Sri Ramakrishna asked Ramchandra,” Well, when will you take me there to see this place you have bought for spiritual contemplation?” Ramchandra was hesitant, thinking “What shall we show him when he comes? Only the kitchen garden?” Thereafter a place was cleared up towards the East of the pond and fenced. A big ‘Tulsi’ shrub was planted in a pedestal at centre and similar plants were set up along the fencing. The inside ground was then sanctified by plastering with mixture of soil and cow-dung. Then Ramchandra decided to bring Sri Ramakrishna to this garden on 26^th December 1883.

On the scheduled day, Sri Ramakrishna, accompanied by Mahendra Nath Gupta (Sri M), Surendra Nath Mitra, Manilal Mullick of Brahmo Samaj and few other disciples arrived at the garden in a rented carriage at about 4 pm in afternoon. He was very pleased to see the garden and exclaimed in delight – “Aha! What a beautiful garden! I once envisioned myself as though I was living in exactly a similar place.”He went to the Tulsi Grove, bowed down, washed his hands & feet in the pond, drank handfuls of sweet water to refresh himself and went inside the small hut, situated on the Southern side of the pond (which is still preserved there known as Vedi Ghar). He sat on a prayer mat especially spread out for him. He exclaimed – “Aha! The atmosphere in this room is just like that in a shrine” and named this place as Yogodyan – a garden congenial for spiritual contemplation. After having some of the fruits & sweets offered to him, he went towards the Northern side of the Garden and pointing out to a particular spot, instructed Ramchandra to prepare a “Panchavati” there for performing meditation and religious austerities. Sometime after, he left with the devotees to see the nearby garden of his disciple Surendra Nath Mitra.

Sri Ramakrishna, accompanied by his devotees, paid another visit to this garden sometime in 1885 when symptoms of his incipient throat cancer had just begun to manifest. On insistence of Ramchandra Dutta, renowned physician Dr. Kailash Chandra Bose examined him here.

Following the visit of Sri Ramakrishna, Ramchandra named the garden as “Ramakrishna Yogodyan” and the pond as “Ramakrishna Kunda”. A Panchavati was also planted as advised (which however became extinct in course of time and now being recreated).

Sri Ramakrishna attained Mahasamadhi (final beatitude) on 16^th August, 1886, a little after 1-00 AM on the full moon night of auspicious Jhulan Purnima, at the Cossipore Garden House. His mortal body was consigned to flames the following afternoon at the Cossipore Cremation Ground. His devotees reverentially collected his holy relics in a copper pitcher and placed it on his bed at Cossipore Garden House.

As the tenancy period of the Garden House was about to end by then, some of his followers, who had initially taken the property on rent for Sri Ramakrishna, declined to renew the tenancy. The young devotees faced with a problem as to where to preserve the pitcher containing the holy relics. At the proposal of Ramchandra Dutta and with the consent of Narendranath, Girish Chandra Ghosh and others, it was decided to inter the pitcher at Yogodyan. However, the group of Sri Ramakrishna’s young monastic disciples had a desire to find out a permanent resting place at a suitable location at the bank of river Ganges, enshrine the holy relics and build a temple over it for his worship. Swami Ramakrishnananda (Sashi) and Swami Niranjanananda (Niranjan) quietly transferred more than half of the holy relics to another urn (which subsequently was sealed and came to be known as “Atmaramer Kouta”) and shifted it to Balaram Bose’s house at Baghbazar in Kolkata for its safe keeping and daily worship.

On early morning of 23^rd August, 1886 (Sri Krishna Janmastami Tithi), i.e. on the seventh day after passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, the pitcher containing holy relics was taken on a horse drawn carriage from Cossipore Garden House to Ramchandra’s house at Simla via Balaram Bose’s house at Baghbazar, by the monastic and lay disciples of Sri Ramakrishna with greatest devotion. From there, at about 8-30 AM a religious procession of 300 odd devotees marched the distance of nearly three miles, led by Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda), singing Kirtans & Bhajans (religious songs) up to the garden at Kankurgachhi (Ramakrishna Yogodyan) to enshrine the holy relics. Most of the way, Sashi (Swami Ramakrishnananda) carried the pitcher over his shaven head. Elder Gopal (Swami Advaitananda) also carried it on his head for some distance. After formal worship, the pitcher with holy relics was finally interred with utmost solemnity near the Tulsi Grove, sanctified by Sri Ramakrishna during his visit to the garden for the first time. From that day, Nityagopal (later known as Jnanananda Avadhut) performed Puja, Arati and Bhog of Sri Ramakrishna and for next five to six months he continued it with utmost devotion. Later a pious Brahmin was appointed. Today, on this very spot stands the imposing temple of Sri Ramakrishna and since 1887, the Janmastami Tithi is observed every year at Yogodyan as ‘Nityabirvhaba Utsava’ (the celebration of the eternal presence of Sri Ramakrishna). Ramchandra endowed the garden in the name of God, formed a Trust and by handing over all rights of “Sri Sri Ramakrishna Samadhi Mahapeeth Sri Yogodyan” to this Trust, continued to serve as a mere servant of Sri Ramakrishna.

Initially the shrine was left in the open. One night, Manomohan Mitra, a cousin brother of Ramchandra, saw in his dream as if his mother Shyamasundari Devi was saying him about inconvenience of Sri Ramakrishna under the open sun and rain. He apprised Ramchandra about his dream. In the meantime, Upendranath Mazumdar, one of the in-laws of Ramchandra, had a similar dream and already brought it to his notice. Immediately, Ramchandra decided to build a permanent structure over the holy spot. After lot of deliberations, finally a brick built covered memorial was constructed and inaugurated on the day of Shyama Puja of that year, observing all rituals. A small altar was constructed inside the memorial and the pitcher containing Holy Relics was kept above it.

After construction of the memorial, daily puja, bhog, arati of Sri Ramakrishna was continued on regular basis under patronage of Ramchandra. Although donations were collected for construction of the memorial, Ramchandra used to bear all other expenses himself. Ultimately, for the sake of seva & puja, he started living in this garden. From Kankurgachhi, he published three books – “Tattwasar”, “Tattwa Prakashika” and “Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansha Dever Jeevan Britwanta” (the first biography of Sri Ramakrishna and now being published from Udbodhan).  He also used to publish monthly religious newsletter “Tattwa Manjari” from here. The last five years of his life he used to live here as a saint, initiated many devotees and even offered sannyas to some of them.

On 17^th January 1899, Ramchandra passed away at Yogodyan. After cremation, his relics were interred at the Western side of the Ramakrishna Temple. His trustworthy monastic disciple Yogvinod Maharaj (Kalipada Basu Mullick) became the head of the Trust and efficiently continued all activities set out by Ramchandra. He was highly praised by Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi for his devotion and efficiency. To overcome financial crisis, he had purchased 200 Bighas land in Manasadwip, Sunderbans at a cost of 6000.00 rupees.

He also started “Ramakrishna Samadhi Mandir Fund” to collect money for construction of the Ramakrishna Temple at Yogodyan. Under his supervision, the foundation of the temple was laid and half of the construction was completed. Even a small Natmandir adjoining the temple was constructed during his regime.

In 1900, Krishnapriyasisni Devi, the wife of Ramachandra Dutta filed a court case in the calming of inheritance of Yogodyan. The sevaks of Yogodyan (Swami Yogvinode and his disciples) had to defend this legal battle. This legal battle was continued for many many years.

With insistence from Yogvinod Maharaj and devotee Manmohan, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi came to Yogodyan on Janmastami Day, 1901, to consecrate the newly constructed Natmandir. She herself worshiped Sri Ramakrishna in the shrine and spent the entire day here.

At last, on 14^th September 1926, this long standing legal battle was ended amicably between the descendants of Ramachandra Dutta & the Sevaks of Yogodyan in the matter of inheritance of Yogodyan.

Then the group of devotees of Sri Ramakrishna convened a meeting at Albert Hall, Kolkata (earlier form of College Street Coffee House) on 26^th June 1927 under the presidentship of Jatindra Nath Basu, Solicitor of Calcutta High Court. It was unanimously decided in the meeting to hand over the managing responsibility of Yogodyan to the Board of Trustees of Ramakrishna Math, Belur. But the decision could not be materialised immediately. It had to wait for long sixteen years.

After Yogvinod Maharaj, his monastic disciple Yogvimal Maharaj (Surendra Nath Mukhopadhyay) took over the responsibility. To meet the regular expenses, he also managed to procure 150 Bighas land at Manmathanagar (Suryaberia), Sandeshkhali, in 1930; 235 Bighas at Kumirmari in 1933 and another 200 Bighas at Kachuberia, Chemaguri in 1939. With agricultural incomes from these lands, financial management of Yogodyan became manageable.

Finally, on 21^st March, 1943, Yogvimal Maharaj handed over all responsibilities of Yogodyan to the Board of Trustees of Ramakrishna Math, Belur through a registered Trust Deed.

The Board of Trustees of Ramakrishna Math, Belur renamed “Sri Sri Ramakrishna Samadhi Mahapeeth Sri Yogodyan” as “Ramakrishna Yogodyan” on 18^th April, 1943, as per proposal from Yogvimal Maharaj. Thereafter, on 23^rd May 1973, the Board of Trustees of Ramakrishna Math, Belur, named the place as “Ramakrishna Math (Yogodyan)”.