Attractions

• Ramakrishna Temple
• Holy relics of Ramakrishna
• Holy relics of Sarada Devi
• Stone Bench Monument of Swami Vivekananda
• Holy Mother’s Rock
• Sarada Devi shrine
• Book stall
• Library

Ramakrishna Math

  is a monastic organization which aims at the harmony of religions, spiritual fulfillment, all-round development of human faculties, social equality and peace for all humanity without any distinction of creed, caste, race or nationality. In 1897, Swami Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Order of Monks: the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, as per the directions of his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna, a great saint of the 19th century from Bengal, called the Prophet of the Modern Age. The Ramakrishna Order has about 171 branch centres all over India and in different parts of the world. The Headquarters of these centres is situated in Belur Math.

The great work done by Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda was to interpret life giving universal and eternal principles of spirituality in the modern idioms, to demonstrate their practical utility and finally to make them available to all of mankind. A few honourable citizens of Bangalore who were inspired by their message, requested Swami Ramakrishnanandaji to establish a centre in Bangalore. On their request Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore was started in a rented building in 1904. In 1909 the monastery shifted to its own premises on Bull Temple Road, Bangalore, and was inaugurated by Swami Brahmananda the then president of the Ramakrishna Order.

Sri Ramakrishna temple has the holy relics of Sri Ramakrishna. Daily prayers are offered in the prayer hall of this temple; the evening Arati is accompanied by mind soothing Bhajans ( mass devotional songs).
Prayer Timings: Mon to Sat: 7 pm to 7:45 pm.    Sun: 7 pm to 8 pm..    Ekadashi : 6:45 pm to 8:15 pm
To the left of the prayer hall, there is a small room that houses the relics of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. Behind the temple is a rock called the Holy Mother’s Rock on which Sri Sarada Devi had meditated under a tree, during her visit in March 1911. a shrine has been built on that spot. The rock is even now used for meditation by devotees.

There is a Stone Bench Monument of Swami Vivekananda to the left of the temple. This bench was donated in 1997 by the family of Sri Sugapa, a jeweller, because Swami Vivekananda had sat and rested a few times on this bench during his visit to Bangalore in 1892. At the time, the bench was in front of Sugapa's house near Kalappa Choultry in the Majestic area, where the Swami had stayed. Now, a statue of Swami Vivekananda has been installed on the bench.

Celebrations are held annually with programmes having mass appeal like Harikatha, ( story narration), devotional music, film-shows and other cultural activities.