All You Need To Know About Chaitanya Mutt, Cuttack

All You Need To Know About Chaitanya Mutt, Cuttack

Cuttack is among the oldest cities of India. The name Bidanasi Kataka finds mention in Ferishteh’s History of Bengal and the Ain-I-Akbari. The earliest recorded history of Cuttack begins with the Kesari dynasty. Stirling gave a detailed account about the ancient city in 1822. Based on Madalapaji, he wrote that Nripa Kesari founded the Baranasi Cuttack in 989 A.D. The reign of Markat Kesari was distinguished for the construction of stone revetment or embank to protect the new capital from flood in 1002 A.D. After the end of the Ganga rule, Odisha passed to the hands of the Suryavamsi Gajapati Kings (1435-1541 A.D) under whom too Kataka continued to be the capital. After the death of Mukunda Deva the last Hindu king of Odisha, the suzerainty of Cuttack passed on to the hands of the Muslims, Mughals and then Marahattas. 

The Old city had a number of Hindu Temples and Mutts, but very few have survived. The Nagari copper plate inscription of Anangabhimadeva III records the construction of temple for Lord Purushottama. Sarala Dasa refers to the Visvesvara temple on the bank of the Mahanadi at Varanasi Kataka which is now the renovated Gadagadeswar temple. The few temples of the later period include Amaresvara Temple, Gangamandir, Raghunatha and Jagannath Temples, Lakshmi-Narayan Temple, Landa Deula and the Paresvarasiva temples. Among the Mutts, the prominent ones which have survived the centuries include the Mastaram Mutt, Rasabehari Mutt, Tulasipur Mutt, Gopalji Mutt, Bangali Sahi Mutt, Anantagopala Mutt, Jagananth Mutt, Chaitanya Mutt, Chaudhary Mutt and Radhakrishna Mutt. These mutts were and still are important institutions in the social life of the old city.

The Chaitanya Mutt, also called the Panchatatva Mutt is often referred to as the Mahaprabhu Badi. The Mutt is located inside a congested residential area on a big two acre plot with many tall coconut and other trees in the compound. It lies at the Mohamadia Bazar just 50 metres away from Chandni Chowk. The Mutt was set up in 1514 CE and is one of the oldest Mutts of the city.  It is believed that Sri Chaitanya had stayed here for three days while on his way back from Puri in 1514 CE. The spot was a thickly wooded orchard called Ray Ramananda Udayan. It was owned by a minister of Pratap Rudra Dev (1497-1534 CE) of the Gajapati dynasty.

The Mutt has been a very important centre for the Vaishnavites since the last five hundred years. The pilgrims of the Old Jagannath Sadak would camp here on their way to Puri. Originally the thickly wooded area stretched right up till the river bank, now only two acres of  a thickly wooded compound exists. It is an oasis of peace and tranquility in the middle of the din and clamour of the old city. Even  today, groups of  Gaudiya Vaishnavites from Bengal make a pit stop at the Mutt when on their way to Puri.     

The south facing temple inside the Mutt is of the typical Pidha Deula style of Kalingan temple architecture. There is a dug well made of terracotta rings in the rear of the temple. There are a set of footprints on black chlorite stone in front of the main temple, which are said to be Sri Chaitanya’s footprints. Many of the festivals relative to the Vaishnavites are celebrated in the mutt. Besides the Dolo Purnima and the Kumar Purnima, Janamastmi too is celebrated. On Dolo Purnima the idol is taken in a procession, seated on a small Biman (palanquin). An ancient square well, called Chaitanya Mahaprabhu well is just outside the main entrance of the temple. The well is not being used and has been covered with an iron grill. A large Jagamohana has been made in front of the main temple. The main temple is in its original state except that the Singhasan of the idols has been improved.

The Mutt is the common property of the Vaishnavites of Cuttack and is being looked after by the Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Matha Parichalana Committee. It was once a throbbing place of pilgrimage, devotion and culture. Most of the land has been encroached upon. The Mutt had a large collection of palm leaf manuscripts. Most of which have been destroyed. What needs to be done urgently is to remove all encroachment and raise a boundary wall demarcating the mutt compound and take up proper landscaping with greenery.