The name Mayapur derives from Miyapur (Bengali: মিঞাপুর[Miñāpura]), the Bengali name of a village known for the settlement of Muslim fishermen.[2][3] The name Miyapur was mentioned in various government documents, including maps and surveys.[2][4]
History
1.5km 1mile
Horse Shoe Lake
Jalangi River
Hooghly River
Gouranga Setu
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Nabadwip bus stand
F
Bishnupriya RS
F
Nabadwip Dham RS
F
Birthplace of Bishnupriya
H
Manipur Rajbari
H
Birthplace of Mahaprabhu
H
ISKCON temple
R
Buro Shiva temple
R
Dwadash Shiva temple
R
Sribas Angan temple complex
R
Mahaprabhutala temple complex
R
Poramatala temple complex
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Nabadwip-Mayapur R: temple, F: facility, H: historical site Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
The region is associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a revered figure in Gaudiya Vaishnavism.[5] It is said that Krishna appeared along with his brother Balarama, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. These two brothers appeared just for the fallen conditioned souls of this Kali Yuga to bestow on them the greatest blessings of Harinama Sankirtan based on the teachings of Bhagvad Gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam. Along with their associates, the Pancha Tattva, they distributed the divine Love of Godhead to anyone and everyone without seeing any qualifications or disqualifications. Mayapur is where the Material and Spiritual Worlds meet. Just as there is no difference between Lord Chaitanya and Lord Krishna, similarly there is no difference between Shridham Mayapur and Vrindavan.[6]
Gaudiya Vaishnava temples and memorials
Yogapith temple at Mayapur, established by Bhaktivinoda Thakur in the 1880s.
In the 1880s, at the birthsite of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Bhaktivinoda Thakur established the Yogapith temple, a white ornate structure with a pyramidal pointed dome standing on the bank of a pond and surrounded by trees.
Idols of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Jagannath, Balarama, Subhadra and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (ISKCON Mayapur) in Mayapur.
There are several Gaudiya Vaishnava organizations in Mayapur, with ISKCON's headquarters being notable. The town has temples devoted to Radha and Krishna or Gaura-Nitai.[citation needed] The Panca-tattva comprises Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Acharya, Gadadhara Pandit, and Srivas Thakur.
The Gaudiya-Vaishnava devotees every year circumambulate the various places of Lord Chaitanya's pastimes in the group of nine islands known as Nabadwip. This Parikrama (circumambulation) takes about 7 days. This event takes place around the Gaur Purnima Festival (Appearance Day of Lord Chaitanya). Devotees from all over the world come to Mayapur for this auspicious Parikrama to celebrate the Lord's Divine Appearance Day.[citation needed]