Kāñcananagara

The birth place of Mahāprabhu’s servant Govinda Karmakāra

Kāñcananagara is situated in Bardhamān district. Boarding a bus from Karjana Gate of Bardhamān town towards Udayapally one can get down at Govindatalā at a distance of five kilometers and from there by walk- ing one can come to this Śrīpāṭa. This place is the Śrīpāṭa of Mahāprabhu’s servant Govinda Karmakāra. This Kāñcananagara is his birth place. He took birth on fifth day of Dola-yātrā festival of Phālguna month (February-March) in the year 1468. He wrote about himself in his autobiography-

bardhamāne kāñcananagare mora dhāma
śyāmadāsa pitṛnāma govinda mora nāma

hātā khunti beḍi gaḍi jātite kāmāra
mādhavī nāmete haya jananī āmāra

My residence is in Kāñcananagara of Bardhamāna. My name is Govinda. My father’s name is Śyāmadāsa and my mother's name is Mādhavī. I am a blacksmith by caste and make paddle, spoon, ladle etc.

It is described in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta in the tenth Chapter of Madhya-līlā that two disciples of Śrīla Īṣvara Purīpāda named Kāśīśvara Paṇḍita and Govinda Dāsa came to Nīlācala while Mahāprabhu returned to Nīlācala from South India. They revealed the instructions of their spiritual master to Mahāprabhu. The spiritual master instructed, ‘You will serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya after my departure from this world.’ Then Mahāprabhu asked Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, ‘Servant of the spiritual master is respectful, how can I engage the servant of my spiritual master in my personal service?' Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya replied that the instruction of the spiritual master is powerful. Then Mahāprabhu engaged Govinda in His personal service.

But according to his own records, Govinda Dāsa came immediately after Mahāprabhu’s arrival in Nīlācala and he accompanied Mahāprabhu in His tour to South India. There is a book called 'Śrī Govinda Dāsera Kaḍacā’ (events kept on record by Śrī Govinda Dāsa) which was published from this Śrīpāṭa. It is known from this record that Govinda Dāsa went on the South India tour with Mahāprabhu. So, it is not the same as is recorded in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Presently, this Śrīpāṭa of Govinda Dāsa at Bardhamān- Kāñcananagara is well managed and administered for Deity worship. Festival is celebrated for eleven days from the day of Dola-yātrā. Besides this, big crowd is gathered during Swing, Rāsa and other festivals. These worship/festivals etc are organized and administered by ‘Kaḍacā Govinda Dāsa Sevā Saṅgha’.