Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states in his Navadvipa-bhava-taranga: “North of Prithu-kunda is the town of Mathura and the holy place known as Shashthi-tirtha, which is within the exquisitely beautiful forest of Madhuvana (in Vraja). This is a very vast area populated by many people. May my eyes become purified by viewing this scene.”

Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya (Parikrama-khanda) describes:
During the afternoon Srivasa Thakura took Sri Jiva on a tour. He showed him Shashthi-tirtha (the sixty tirthas). Srivasa explained, “Before the advent of Lord Sri Gauranga, the demigods came to know that the Lord would very soon appear in Navadvipa.Visvakarma came to Nadia, realizing that Mahaprabhu would be performing nagara-sankirtana and walking through the streets of Nadia. The architect of the demigods understood that the Lord along with His associates would become very thirsty. In order to relieve them of thirst Visvakarma dug sixty ponds in one night, the last one being in the village of Chand Kazi.”

Directions: One of these kundas is in Chand Kazi’s village and another is here to the side of Sridhara’s place.

sodhitva tam kirtanadau sri-gaurasundarah prabhuh
tirtham dvadasakam tirtva sridharasya griham yayau

“Lord Sri Gaurasundara, during thetime of the first (adi) kirtana purifiedKamsa who had taken birth as ChandKazi and went to the house of Sridharaafter crossing dvadasa-tirtha (thetwelve tirthas).” (Navadvipa-dhamamahatmya,Pramana-khanda 4.35)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura mention sin his Navadvipa-bhava-taranga: “In the center of Madhuvana is the place called Visrama-sthala. There stands the cottage of the Lord’s devotee named Sridhara and also a clear pond. After rectifying the Kazi, the Lord of the three worlds came here with His followers and rested. When will I shout “Ha Gauranga!” at this Visrama-sthala? When will I roll upon the ground and cry in solitude? Overwhelmed with emotions of ecstatic love, will I ever see the beautiful Gauranga-sundara drinking water from Sridhara’s ironpot? And when, by the power of great fortune, will my eyes behold the young son of Saci in the midst of a rousing kirtana along with Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara, and Srivasa, dancing and begging for ecstatic love at the house of Sridhara?”(Navadvipa – bhava – taranga)

Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya (Parikrama-khanda) describes: When Lord Nityananda took Sri Jivaon Navadvipa-mandala Parikrama they reached the house of Sridhara, or Kolaveca Sridhara (the banana vendor). This personality is also known as the cowherd boy Kusumasava in krishna-lila.

Nityananda Prabhu said, “At this placeMahaprabhu would take rest after completing His dancing and chanting. Therefore this place is known as Visramasthana or the place of rest.” When Sridhara heard about the arrival of Lord Nityananda, he immediately came forward and offered prostrated obeisance. He worshiped Lord Nityananda and said, “O, my Lord! You are very merciful towards this menial servant of Yours. I humbly request You to kindly take rest today at my residence.” Lord Nityananda said, “You are a very fortunate person. Lord Gauranga has personally blessed you. Today all of us will stay here and take rest.” Sridhara was extremely satisfied to hear this desire of Lord Nityananda. Immediately he brought all the ingredients for cooking and had a devotee brahmana cook the feast. First Lord Nityananda and Srivasa Thakura took prasada and after they had concluded their meal, Sri Jiva very happily honored prasada. When Nityananda Prabhu reclined on a bed after taking prasada, Sridhara, along with his whole family, massaged His divine lotus feet.

Darsana times: All the time

Directions: Enter the mango grove at the back of Sri Jagannatha temple in Rajapurusing the small gate at the rear of the temple. Ahead of you on the right side you will see a small building situated amongst a cluster of trees. This is the place.

Points of interest:

1. The building indicates the location of Sridhara’s house. This area is nondifferent from Madhuvana forest of Vrindavana where Krishna and Balarama had many pastimes with Their sakhas, cowherd boyfriends. One of these sakhas was Kusumasava Gopala sakha who appeared as Sridhara in Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes.

2. Shashthi-tirtha-kunda: On the rightside of the building you will see a field that is dug out and surrounded by raised edges. This was a kunda in Lord Caitanya’s time. Young Nimai used toplay here and also steal bananas from Sridhara’s near by banana patch.

3. Resting place: This place is also known as visrama-sthala (resting place) as Lord Caitanya would take rest here after performing kirtana.

Prithu-kunda is situated between Murari Gupta’s house and the Caitanya Matha. When you leave Srivasa Angana and walk away from Mayapur on the Bhaktisiddhanta Road, you will see a large paddy field just before reaching the Caitanya Matha. Although no longer visible, Prithu-kunda was situated here and later came to be known as Ballal-dighi. In the Parikrama-khanda of Sri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described Prithu-kunda as follows: “Towards the east of Ganganagara, where the houses of Gangadasa and Sanjaya are located, is a very beautiful lake, now known as Ballal-dighi. This place was very important in Satyayuga when Prithu Maharaja, one of the saktyavesa-avatar as of the Lord, was ruling the earth planet. To make the planet more suitable for living Prithu Maharaja had started a project to levelits surface as some places were low and others high. When Prithu Maharaja came to Navadvipa, his workers saw a bright effulgence all around. They informed the king and he personally came and noticed it as well. Because Prithu Maharaja is a saktyavesa avatara(empowered incarnation) he knew through meditation that this area was Navadvipa-dhama. In order to acknowledge the glories of this holyplace Prithu Maharaja ordered the digging of a very beautiful lake. This lake was called Prithu-kunda by the people of Navadvipa who were very happy to drink its pure transparent water. Later, King Lakshmana Sena dug the lake deeper and renovated it, giving it amore pleasing appearance. He did this welfare job desiring the deliverance of his forefathers. Lakshmana Sena’s father was Ballal Sena, thus the name of this lake became Ballal-dighi. Dighi meansa big pond or lake.

Directions: Prithu-kunda used to bein the fields on the right side of the Bhaktisiddhanta Road just before the Caitanya Matha. It is no longer manifest.

When you walk to the north from Yoga-pitha, before reaching Srivasa Angana, there is a road on your right. Follow that road for half a kilometer and on your right you will see a small temple. Murari Gupta’s house was located here. There is a small temple here with deities of Sita, Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman, installed by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. There is also a deity of Lord Narayana, which was found when the temple was excavated, but its age is unknown. This deity has now moved to the Caitanya Matha and is being worshiped there.