Sootika Mandir

Ekchakra Garvabas  is an obscure village of Bengal, tucked away in a remote corner between
Rampurhat  and  Sainthia  on  Eastern  Railway. The village is  about ten  minutes walk from  the 
Birchandrapur bus stop.The ADVENT PLACE OF NITYANANDA is at the end of the village,
aside unique natural beauty. Opinions  are contradictory on  the exact  Birthplace of  even  Lord 
SRI CHAITANYA. It  is indeed  surprising  that  there  is no doubt or  suspicion  regarding  the 
Birthplace of  NITYANANDA, as if the LORD himself  kept it free from any skeptical question.
It is a matter of  great pride for all of us. This association again  glorifies  Birbhum, the holy place
that united the SHAKTA, SHAIVA, AND VAISHNAVAS.

NITYANANDA  was  born on  Shukla  Trayodashi, in  the month of  Magha, in  the year 1473
 A.D.12^th Feb. (Shakabda – 1395). Like the Sun that enlightens the world from his chariot ‘The Ekchakra’, NITYANANDA filled the world with His fountain of love and benevolence from this Ekchakra.  Ishan  Nagar  in  his  book  ‘Adwaita  Prakasha’, Narahari  Chakrabarty  in  ‘Bhakti Ratnakara’, Nityananda  Das  in  ‘Prem Bilasa’, Brindaban  Das  in ‘Sree Chaitanya  Bhagbata', 
Abhiram Das in  ‘Pat Paryatana’  have  glorified  the place. In  modern  times,  Subal Chandra’s  ‘Saral Bangla Abhidhana’,Sri Haridas Das’s ‘Gaudiya  Baishnava  Abhidhana’, a research work like  ‘Birbhum  Bibaran’,  Rasik  Mohan  Vidyabhusan’s  ‘Nityananda   Charit’,  magazines  like GOURANGA  MADHURI, GAUDIYA,  BHAKTI,  NITAI SUNDAR  etc. eulogize  the holy place  and  bring  it   to  the  notice  of  commons. The film  NITYANANDA MAHAPRABHU presented by Sulata pictures has also brought the place in focus. The arrival of a number of great men,  their  ideas  and  opinions, culminated  in aprogramme  held  on  All  India  Radio on  25^th December 1974 based on their conversation. The sanctity of the place has been well extablished.

The significance of the place is  not widely known.Most  people believe that  both Sri Chaitanya and Nityananda (Gour and Nitai) are originally from Nabadwip.But this is a misconception.We can point out a series of facts that mark the identity of this place.As in Nabadwip and Brindaban, Ekchakra also has its own ‘Yogapitha’ a spot sanctified  by its connection  with  the Lord, who used to meditate here so often.