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There was the vast open ground of Ramna near Shahbagh in Dhaka, the capital of the then East Bengal (now Bangladesh). On one side of it, there was an old Kali temple, known by the name of 'Ramna Kali Badi'. Ma used to come here often with Baba Bholanathji. At that time Ma resided in Shahbagh Gardens.
Being inspired by Bhaiji, a proposal was made to construct an Ashram there. The idea was to derive benefit from the association of great saints under this land when digging was done and their Samadhis discovered and also to facilitate Bhajan/Kirtan of Ma's devotees in their own place. Ma's magnificent Ashram was built here in 1929 and it was inaugurated on Ma's auspicious birthday festival i.e. 19 Baisakh, B.S. Definite rules and regulations for the Ashram came in vogue here for the first time. The evening prayer 'Jaya hridaya vasini' appeared in the mental plane of Bhaiji in this holy place.
In 1931 the temple of Shri Annapurna was constructed in this holy ground, where the images of Ma Annapurna, Kali, Shiva, Narayana and others were installed. This was in fact the first temple of the Ashram. This was an ancient seat of the sadhus belonging to the Giri sect, as later disclosed by Ma.
Though this Ashram does not exist these days in a physical form before us, yet its original nature exists in an incorporeal form in each Ashram of Ma. In 1972 this place was unfortunately totally destroyed at the time of the liberation war in Bangladesh; perhaps this is also a part of Ma's leela.
Address :
Shahbagh
Dhaka (Bangladesh) |
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