Gaura-daha is situated in Gadigacha which is in Godrumadvipa.

Srila Jagadananda Pandita has described one pastime of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu in Gadigacha in his book Prema-vivarta: “One day Saci-mata with great affection gave me the remnants of Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu. When I ate that prasada I experienced the taste of nectar and was very happy to honor Gauranga-prasada. Can I ever get that sumptuous prasada again?

That day I proceeded towards the bank of the Ganga along with Sri Gaura- Nityananda and Their associates. When we reached Gadigacha village the devotees started harinamasankirtana. Govinda was playing mridanga and Vasudeva Ghosha was chanting the holy name. Gadadhara Pandita and Vakresvara Pandita were both dancing. Only the sound vibration of hari-nama was heard and the ulu-dhvani was coming from all directions. Everyone was mad with gaura-prema. I do not know how to sing or dance but still I was dancing raising my hands. In fact Sri Gauranga was making me dance, entering into my body. I have no idea of svara or tala (tune or rhythm) but I was dancing and chanting. When we reached Gadigacha village and entered into the cowherd people’s village (Gopapalli), Gauracandra said, ‘Oh, devotes of Sri Krishna! Please listen.

Today we will walk on the shore of this lake and sleep under the trees. Under this banyan tree, there are many cows having fun. Today we will have pastimes with the gopas (cowherd people.)’ Many gopas came and offered us milk, yogurt and butter.

After eating all these milk products we became free from our fatigue due to walking so far. There Nrisimhananda, Pradyumna and Purushottama Acarya joined us in sankirtana. By hearing the sound of the mridanga everyone left their houses and came to witness the nama-sankirtana. The sound of hari-nama resounded in the sky. In that village there was a cowherd man by the name of Bhima Gopa, who was a very sober person.

Only the sound vibration of hari-nama was heard and the ulu-dhvani was coming from all directions. Everyone was mad with gaura-prema. I do not know how to sing or dance but still I was dancing raising my hands. In fact Sri Gauranga was making me dance, entering into my body.

He came forward and said, ‘Please listen to my appeal. My blessed mother Syama Goalini is the daughter of Sadhu Goala from Ganganagara. She serves Saci Ai always considering her a mother. In that relationship you are my uncle. My dear uncle! Please come to my house with Yoursankirtana group. There You may perform sankirtana with great happiness. My mother will feed you all milk and yogurt, as much as she has in our house, and massage Your feet.’ When everyone insisted on going there, due to the unalloyed love of the gopa, Lord Gaurahari went to his house.

Syama Goalini made uludhvani and arranged for everyone to sit in her cowshed. Syama asked, ‘Pandita dada (dear brother pandita)! How is mother doing?’ Lord Gauranga shook His body saying, ‘Fine, fine.’ Syama served yogurt and milk products on banana leaves and Nimai along with all the devotees sat down to eat. After finishing the prasada, Nimai went back to the shore of the lake. Everyone was chanting the glories of Lord Hari very softly. At one point, Ramadasa Gopa came and appealed, ‘Our cows do not drink the water of this lake. There is a very fearful crocodile living inside. The cows make the sound hamba without taking water.’ By hearing this Gauracandra started chanting sri-nama-sankirtana loudly and the crocodile was so attracted by the kirtana that he came out of the lake and touched the lotus feet of Sri Gauranga. Immediately the crocodile transformed into a deva-sisu (child of a demigod). The deva-sisu offered prayers while crying and told the story of his suffering. He said, ‘Oh, my Lord! I am roaming here in the form of a crocodile due to the curse of Durvasa Muni. By seeing me everyone becomes frightened”.

Once, Durvasa Muni was sleeping in Kamyavana. Due to my naughty nature I cut off his locks. The sage became very angry with me and cursed me saying, ‘You will get the form of a crocodile and for four yugas you will remain like this due to the result of your karma.’ Hearing this curse I wept and pleaded with the muni asking him how I could be free from this curse. Being merciful upon me, he called me and said, ‘O deva-sisu! When Sri Nanda-nandana will appear as Saci-prana-dhana in Navadvipa, you will be freed from this curse by hearing His kirtana. Thereafter you will go back to heaven by accepting a celestial body.’ Then the deva-sisu offered prayers saying, ‘All glories to Saci-suta, the deliverer of fallen souls. You are the shelter of poor and fallen people who have no other shelter. The people of all fourteen planetary systems are announcing Your great deeds. You have delivered a fallen person like me. This Navadvipa-dhama is the cream of all dhamas. Here Kali-patita-pavana (deliverer of fallen souls of Kali-yuga) has appeared. You will deliver the living entities of Kali-yuga by giving them hari-nama. O Mahaprabhu, You have come to me. I offer my humble obeisances unto You. I have been here in this form of a crocodile for four yugas. Now You have delivered me as Patita-pavana Hari. The name of Hari from Your mouth is very sweet. You have delivered many animate and inanimate living entities. Please allow me to go back to heaven to meet with my father and mother and stay there happily.’ Saying this, deva-sisu offered his obeisances and left the place.

Again the tumultuous sound of kirtana started and continued until midday. Then all the devotees along with Mahaprabhu went back to Mayapur. Whoever hears this pastime of Mahaprabhu will be free from brahma-sapa, the curse of a brahmana. From that day that lake was known as Gaura-daha (daha means lake) and it became just like Kaliya-daha. Whoever takes darsana of this lake and touches its water will be free from all sinful reactions and receive devotion unto Sri Krishna.” (Prema – vivarta)

The following is a description of Devapalli from Sri Navadvipa-dhamamahatmya, Parikrama-khanda: After visiting Suvarna-vihara, Lord Nityananda along with Sri Jiva and Srivasa Thakura proceeded towards the village Devapalli. This place is also known as Narasimha Palli. All of them took rest there as guests of the demigods and took their lunch prasada. Towards the end of the day Nityananda Prabhu went on a tour of the village. He explained that in this village there is a temple of Lord Nrisimhadeva from the time of Satyayuga. Being merciful upon Prahlada, Lord Narasimha killed his father Hiranyakasipu who was giving so much trouble to his son. After killing Hiranyakasipu Lord Narasimha came to this place and took rest here for some time. Knowing that Lord Narasimha had come to take rest here, all the demigods including Brahma built their houses here and thus created a village. They built their houses on the bank of the Mandakini on top of a hillock and all engaged in the service of the Lord. Since that time this place has been known as Narasimha-kshetra in Navadvipa-dhama. The scriptures describe this place as very purifying. Previously there were many hillocks where the houses of Brahma, Suryadeva, Ganesa and Indra were situated. There were many tilas where Visvakarma built hundreds of houses out of stone. In due course of time the River Mandakini dried up and all the houses were destroyed. Now only the hillocks are there but you can see many stones lying around which are the ruins of the temples of different demigods. It is also said that Lord Narasimha washed His hands in the pond next to the temple. After some time a great person or king will come and by the mercy of Lord Nrisimhadeva, he will build a temple for Lord Nrisimha Bhagavan here and revive the worship of the Lord. This place marks the outer limit of Navadvipa-dhama which extends up to sixteen krosas or 32 miles.

Darsana times: usually 10-12 a.m.

Directions from ISKCON : Go down Bhaktisidhanta Road until you reach the main road to Calcutta. Turn right onto this road. After the Krishnanagar turnoff and after going under the railway overbridge, continue straight down the Navadvipa-Krishnanagar highway (do not turn left at the intersection as that will take you to Calcutta). Narasimha Palli is just before a lake (on the left side of the road) and a sharp right turn in the road. The distance is about twenty-seven kilometers. A taxi will take around forty-five minutes to get there.

Presiding deity: Lord Narasimhadeva with Hiranyakasipu on His lap and Prahlada at His feet. This self-manifest deity dates back to Satya-yuga.

Point of interest:

1. The Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust built the kirtana hall here.

2. This temple is located on the eastern and southern boundaries of Navadvipadhama and is known by the names Narasimha Puri and Devapalli (neighbourhood of the devas). It has been famous since Satya-yuga when Narasimhadeva came to rest here after killing the demon Hiranyakasipu.

3. Next to the temple is a lake left behind by the Mandakini River that flowed here at that time. When Lord Narasimhadeva arrived here, He drank the sweet waters of this river to refresh Himself and also washed the blood of Hiranyakasipu from His hands.

4. The demigods followed Narasimhadeva here, constructed large palaces, and worshiped Him in great opulence. The changing course of the Mandakini River covered the demigod’s palaces and destroyed them and all that remains of them now is the hills that surround this area.

deva-pallim tato gatva
devan surya-mukhan prabhuh
sri-krishna-kirtananande
plavayam asa bhamini

“Oh, Bhamini! (After visiting Suvarna-vihara) the Lord went to Devapalli. There he drowned the demigods headed by Surya with the bliss of chanting the holy name of Sri Krishna.” (Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmy Pramana-khanda 4.38) 

In Navadvipa-bhava-taranga, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes Devapalli as follows: “Southeast of Suvarna-vihara there is Nrisimha Puri. When will I see the pure transcendental sweetness of this place, also called Devapalli? I will roll about on the ground in ecstatic love while visiting this residence of Lord Nrisimha. Sincerely begging for His grace without a trace of duplicity in my heart, I will attain Krishna-prema. Within my sinful heart, the six enemies headed by lust perpetually reside, as well as duplicity, the desire for fame, and sheer cunning. At the lotus feet of Lord Nrisimha, I hope that He will mercifully purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Lord Krishna. Weeping, I will beg at the lotus feet of Lord Nrisimha for the benediction of worshipping Radha and Krishna in Navadvipa, perfectly safe and free from all difficulties. When will this Lord Hari, whose terrible form strikes fear into fear itself, ever become pleased and show me His mercy?

Even though Lord Nrisimha is terrifying toward the sinful souls He offers great auspiciousness unto the devotees of Lord Krishna headed by Prahlada Maharaja. When will He be pleased to speak words of compassion unto me, a worthless fool, and thereby make me fearless? He will say, ‘Dear child! Sit down freely and live happily here in Sri Gauranga-dhama. May you nicely worship the Divine Couple and may you develop loving attachment for Their holy names. By the mercy of My devotees, all obstacles are cast far away. With a purified heart, just perform the worship of Radha and Krishna, for such worship overflows with sweet nectar.’ Saying this, will that Lord delightedly place His own divine lotus feet upon my head? Suddenly I will experience sublime love for the divine couple Radha-Krishna and undergo the ecstatic transformations called the sattvikavikaras. Falling on the ground, I will roll about by the door of Sri Nrisimha’s temple”. (Navadvipa-bhava-taranga)

There was a very nice pastime of Mahaprabhu by the Alakananda River, which, as mentioned previously, is presently not visible. Jagadananda Pandita has described this pastime very nicely in his book Prema-vivarta: “One day my Lord, in a playful mood, went to the dense forest on the bank of Alakananda. Myself and Gadadhara were both there with Mahaprabhu. The Lord playfully caught hold of a suka (parrot) from the bakula tree. Mahaprabhu said, ‘You are the son of Vyasadeva. Please chant Sri Radha- Krishna and increase our happiness.’ The suka, however, did not chant the holy name of Sri Radha-Krishna but instead chanted “Gaurahari”. Then Mahaprabhu threw him away pretending that He was angry with him because the bird was not chanting the holy name of Sri Radha-Krishna. Still the suka continued chanting “Gaura, Gaura” and danced with great love. Mahaprabhu said, ‘Oh, Suka! This is Vrindavana. Please chant the holy name of Sri Radha and Krishna and let everybody hear the holy name.’ The bird replied, ‘Vrindavana has transformed into Navadvipa. Sri Radha and Krishna have appeared as Sri Gaurahari. I am the suka who chants the holy name of Sri Gaurahari and stays in this forest. You are my Sri Radha-Krishna. This Gadadhara is Srimati Radharani. Gadai and Gauranga are the Lords of my life. Nothing else comes from my mouth.’ Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu said, ‘I am a worshiper of Sri Radha-Krishna. I feel sad to hear any other name.’ Saying this Mahaprabhu caught hold of Gadadhara’s hand and went back to Mayapur leaving behind the suka who said, “You chant whatever You like. I will do my bhajana here eternally, chanting the holy name of Gaurahari.”