Shree Chaitanya Gaudiya MathRooms for pilgrims, just two kilometres from Sri Mandira, Puri.

About Shree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Puri

Shree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math is a Gaudiya Vaishnava math on Basanta Road, Balagandi, in Puri. It stands in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, whose Gaudiya Math was established in Bengal in the early twentieth century; Shree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math itself was formed in 1953, in the period after his disappearance when that mission divided into a number of separate branches.

Like the other maths of that line, it exists to carry on a practice rather than to advance a teaching of its own: the chanting of the holy names together, the reading and exposition of the Vaishnava scriptures, and the worship of the deities. The rooms for pilgrims came afterwards, and they are still arranged around the temple's day rather than the other way about.

Where the Math is, and how far Sri Mandira is

The address is Basanta Road, Balagandi, Puri, Odisha 752001 — reading it out in full to an auto driver is more reliable than asking for the Math by name. Sri Jagannath Temple is about 2 km away, and the sea at Balagandi about 0.7 km in the other direction.

Distances, directions and the map

Rooms, and what they cost

There are four kinds of accommodation and three published rates. A non-AC double is ₹800 a night, the same room air-conditioned is ₹1,000, and the two-bedroom family suite is ₹1,800 air-conditioned or ₹1,500 without. Group accommodation is quoted on the call, because what is free depends entirely on the season.

Within those rates the rooms differ — some are in the quiet wings, some on the upper floors looking over the domes, one is set up for a stay of a week or more. They are named on the rooms page, and you can ask for one by name when you call.

The full tariff and every room type

Prasadam, facilities and what to expect

Satvik prasadam is cooked in the Math kitchen and offered before it is served — no meat, fish or eggs, and no onion or garlic. It is served in the dining hall rather than to the room, and at the hours the kitchen keeps rather than on request.

Hot water runs day and night, drinking water is RO-purified, there is power backup through the evening cuts, and the premises are under CCTV. Check-in is from 12:00 noon and check-out is 11:00 am. A valid photo ID is needed for every adult guest.

This is a place of worship before it is a place to stay. Guests are asked to dress modestly, and to keep meat, fish, eggs, alcohol and tobacco off the premises entirely.

Every facility at the Math

Shree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math photos

Every photograph on this site is a photograph of this Math — the gateway, the deities, the painted corridors, the rooms and the bathrooms as they actually are. Nothing here is stock photography, and nothing has been borrowed from another building.

Browse the photo gallery

Contacting the Math

The quickest way to reach the Math is WhatsApp — send your dates and you will usually get a reply telling you what is free. The same number takes calls.

Contact details for Shree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math

Before you plan your stay

Plan around darshan rather than around the room. Sri Mandira is busiest at weekends, through Rath Yatra and around Kartik, and the queue is shortest very early. Staying at Balagandi means you can walk up before dawn rather than drive into the middle of it.

Non-Hindus are not permitted inside Sri Jagannath Temple — a rule the temple administration enforces, and one worth knowing before a journey rather than at the gate. The Math's own temple is open to every guest staying here, whoever they are.