Jagai and Madhai were born into a highclass brahmana family in Navadvipa. Their names were Jagannatha and Madhavananda Raya, the sons of Raghunatha Raya. Due to bad association they became meat-eaters, drunkards, debauchees, gamblers, and murderers. Because they caused so much disturbance, respectable people avoided them completely. When Lord Caitanya inaugurated the sankirtana movement He told Nityananda Prabhu and Haridasa Thakura to go door to door and request whomever they met to chant the holy names of the Lord. Since Jagai and Madhai were the most fallen, the two preachers decided that they were suitable candidates to receive the Lord’s mercy. They approached Jagai and Madhai and asked them to chant the holy names of Krishna. Jagai and Madhai became enraged and chased Nityananda and Haridasa, who had to run for their lives. The next day, Madhai struck Nityananda on the head with a piece of an earthen pot, making Himbleed. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this, He immediately came to the spot, ready to punish both brothers. But when the all-merciful Gauranga saw Jagai’s repentant behavior, He immediately embraced him. By seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face and being embraced by Him, both of the sinful brothers were at once cleansed. Thus they received initiation into the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra from the Lord and were delivered. This place is approximately 30 meters north of Mahaprabhu-ghata.

adyapiha cihna ache
caitanya-kripaya
‘madhaira ghata bali’
sarva-loke gaya

“By the mercy of Lord Caitanya, theruins of that place still exist, whicheveryone refers to as Madhai-ghata.” (Sri Caitanya – bhagavata ,Madhya – khanda 15.94 )

After the deliverance of Jagai and Madhai, Madhai met with Nityananda Prabhu in a solitary place and said,

“Oh, My Lord! You are present within the heart of each and every living entity. I have harmed many such living entities. If I knew all whom I have harmed then I could beg forgiveness from them, but I do not know as there have been so many. Please tell me how all those people, against whom I have committed so many offenses, might become pleased with me. If You are merciful upon me then kindly advise me what to do.”

Lord Nityananda replied, “Please listen, I will instruct you. Regularly go and clean the bathing ghata on the Ganga. When the people take bath there happily then all of them will bless you. If you serve Ganga-devi who eradicates all offenses then what more good fortune is there for you than doing this service? You should also offer obeisances to everyone with great humility. If you do this then all will forgive you for your offenses.”

After receiving this advice Madhai circumambulated Lord Nityananda many times and then left. Everyone saw how Madhai was preparing the bathing ghata on the Ganga very nicely while chanting the holy name of Sri Krishnaand shedding tears. Madhai would show much respect to anyone who came to the Ganga and offer them his humble obeisances. He would beg for forgiveness saying,“I have committed many offenses, knowingly and unknowingly unto you. Kindly excuse me for all my offenses and bless me.” Everyone would cry when they saw the tears of Madhai and would remember Lord Govinda. Madhai began performing severe austerities their and became famous as a brahmacari. He stayed on the bank of the Ganga absorbed in her darsana and with the help of a kodala (spade) he worked hard repairing the ghata. By the mercy of Lord Caitanya the ruins of that place are still visible and known by all as Madhai-ghata.

Directions: Thirty meters north of Mahaprabhu-ghata.

Six meters north of Vriddha Siva is Mahaprabhu-ghata, on a dried-up river bed of the Ganga. At this place Nimai would take bath daily and play in the water performing many wonderful pastimes. It was also here that Gangadevi performed austerities, desiring to see the Lord perform His pastimes in her water.

Directions: Six meters north of Vriddha Siva-ghata is a dried-up river bed that indicates where the Ganga used to flow.

Near the road approaching Yogapitha from the ISKCON temple, there is a culvert just after the Mayapur Polyclinic. When you cross the culvert, take the dirt road on the left. After a few meters is the place which used to be Vriddha Siva-ghata. It is believed that a Siva-linga was found in this area, which is now worshiped behind the birth site of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This Siva-linga is called Vriddha Siva, or Kshetrapala, the protector (guardian) of the holy dhama. One should worship the merciful Lord Siva to obtain the blessing of devotional service to the Supreme Lord. During the time of Lord Caitanya, a temple of Vriddha Siva existed at this place but was later covered by the Ganga. This is where the Praudha Maya energy (yoga-maya) eternally resides. There are two Sivalingas at this small temple inside the Yoga-pitha campus. One of the lingas was found near the culvert at Mayapur Polyclinic. That place is now known as Siva Doba.

Directions: Turn right ouside the ISKCON main gate and proceed down Bhaktisiddhanta Road. Just after the first turn in the road there is a small bridge and just after that is a path on the left side of the road where you will see some houses. This is the area of Vriddha Siva-ghata.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura established Sri Caitanya Matha in 1918. He called the area of this compound Vrajapattana, which means the place where Vrindavana is manifested. This is where the house of Candrasekhara was located. His wife Malati, was the younger sister of Srimati Saci-devi. They had no children of their own. When Jagannatha Misra, the father of Lord Caitanya, left this world, Candrasekhara acted as the Lord’s father. He accepted Lord Caitanya as his son and took full responsibility for Saci-mata.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would perform kirtana at this place. He also performed dramas with Advaita Prabhu, Srivasa, and other devotees in the house of Candrasekhara. Nityananda played Paurnamasi, Srivasa Pandita played Narada Muni, Advaita Acarya acted as Sadasiva, Haridasa Thakura took the role of a guard fromVaikuntha, and Gadadhara Pandita played Lakshmi-devi.

Darsana times: 6.00-12.00 a.m. and4.00-8.00 p.m.

Directions:Going down Bhaktisiddhanta Road, it is half a kilometer from Srivasa Angana, or two kilometers from ISKCON. The first gate you approach enters from the side of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s samadhi. The second gate, a little further down the road, is the entrance for the main temple. To see everything without having to retrace your steps, it is best to enter at the first gate and have your rickshaw pick you up at the second gate.

Presiding deities: If you enter the main gate (the second gate when coming from the ISKCON temple)you will see the main temple dedicated to Sri Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari approximately 25 meters(75 feet) ahead. On the altar to the right of Gandharvika-Giridhari are two deities of Lord Caitanya with Their right arms raised. When you walk around the deity chamber you will see four altars, one for each of the Vaishnava acaryas: Sri Madhvacarya, Sri Vishnu Swami, Sri Nimbarkacarya and Sri Ramanujacarya.

There is a Govardhana Hill in the compound. Next to it is Radha-kunda. This pond is non-different from Radha-kunda in Vrindavana.

Next to the Gandharvika-Giridhari temple is Srila Gaurakishora dasa Babaji’s samadhi temple.

He is the spiritual master of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and left this world on November 19, 1915 in Koladvipa. Previously his samadhi was on the western bank of the Ganga in Kuliyagrama at the place called Mutanchada in the present city of Navadvipa. In 1932, sixteen years after he attained samadhi, the Ganga rose to within a few feet of his samadhi. At this time Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had his disciples move the samadhi by boat to this place. Inside the campus of Sri Caitanya Matha is the residence of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, a two-storey building where you can see different items used by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada. If you enter Sri Caitanya Matha from the first gate (coming from Yogapitha), you will see the samadhi of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. It stands on the right side of the path and is facing Syama-kunda.