Maya is a Hindi word which means illusion or appearance of the phenomenal world. There is place in India with same name called "Mayapur". I heard of this place from many people. Recently I personally made a visit to the place, to experince what people always talks about. As I stepped in, I can say, the internal atmosphere is not sort of illusion. It is a set up in one of the busiest city in India, still once you get inside, you will find yourself disconnected from rest of the world. The place Mayapur is actually a *heaven on earth for ISKCON followers. Still many people visit to experince the out of the world experince. Infact most of the people inside were foreigners and Krishna who were looking after the entire place.
Mayapur is a holy place in Nadia District, of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of ISKCON and is considered a holy place by many Hindu traditions. It is especially significant to followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Mayapur is in news recently, for the Temple of Vedic Planetarium (TOVP), which is being built to be the world's largest religious monument and the headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
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Construction on the TOVP began in 2010 and was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now expected to open in 2025. The TOVP was inspired by the design of the Capitol building in the United States. The TOVP is expected to be larger than the Taj Mahal and St. Paul's Cathedral in the Vatican. It will be one of the tallest Hindu temples in the world and will have a height of 113 meters. The temple will also have a "pujari floor" that can accommodate nearly 10,000 devotees.
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People visit Mayapur primarily because it is considered a holy site for followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, particularly as the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a revered figure in this tradition. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is considered significant because he popularized the devotion to Lord Krishna through the practice of "sankirtana" (chanting and dancing) and the "Hare Krishna Maha Mantra", making Bhakti yoga accessible to people of all social backgrounds, essentially revitalizing the Bhakti movement in Bengal by emphasizing love and devotion towards Krishna through accessible practices like chanting and dancing. He is seen as the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
The town also houses the headquarters of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), attracting devotees from around the world to visit the Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple to worship deities like Radha-Madhav and Pancatattva. ISKCON devotees worship Lord Krishna, who they believe is the Supreme Being. They follow the teachings of the Vedas and Vedic scriptures, including the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. ISKCON has opened hundreds of temples, centers, and rural settlements.
Mayapur is centered on Antardvipa, one of nine islands that make up the Navadwip, which was once the capital of Bengal. Mayapur is a famous pilgrimage town in West Bengal. Mayapur has peaceful ambiance, it has a tranquil retreat with stunning temples and the flowing Ganges nearby. I have seen huge crowds of foreign national roaming and chanting at differrnt places. Being an auspicious day, there were many rituals happening and the foreigners as well the visitors were taking part. As said before the atmosphere is completelly different from what we found outside.
There was multiple areas dedicated to cows. There were number of different cows kept. In Hinduism, particularly within the teachings of ISKCON, cows are considered sacred and revered as "Go Mata" (cow mother), and are especially dear to Lord Krishna, who is often depicted as a cowherd; therefore, keeping cows in Mayapur is a way to serve and honor the divine by providing them care and a peaceful environment, with many devotees actively participating in "Go Seva" (cow service) at the Mayapur Goshala (cow shelter).
Visitors as well as the foreign national shows their love for these animals. They feed them, caress them , hugs them. It shows the Incredible love for Radha Krishna. They also have a mass kitchen serving Vaishnav food like Khichdi. It was indeed a illusion world with name of Radha-Krishna written all over the place.
There were many shops and eating points too to welcome the vistors. The shops were mostly selling items related to Krishna and items for chanting and sakritan.
Honestly visiting such place alwsys bring us closer to the Supreme power. The power that make everything possible. Even though I am a common vistor, I experinced a differrnt vibes, surely for the hard-core followers, the place is of great importsnce. Presence of so many foreign nationals in dhoti-kurta are the proof of the faith and devotion. The place is well connected via railway network. The nearest railway station is Navadip.
I guess the place is suitable for all kind of spiritual and Vedic knowledge. A must visit place for all. I am sure to take another trip once the TOVP gets ready.