Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu

Dhameshvar Mahaprabhu wooden statue of Sri chaitanya, located at Nabadwip, nadia. It is believed to have been constructed from the wood of the neem tree under which Chaitanyadev is believed to be born, under the directives of Vishnupriya and the supervision of Vangshivadan Goswami. Vishnupriya used to tend the statue, which was made after the model of a statue worshipped at Kalna in west bengal. After her, the responsibility of tending the statue devolved on her brother, Jadavacharya. Devotional practices did not follow established puja practices and were held without uttering any mantra. After Jadavacharya, his son, Madhavacharya, tended the statue followed by his two sons. The statue is still tended by the descendants of Jadavacharya.

Chaitanyadas Babaji, a renowned Chaitanya savant of Vrindavan, laid down the rituals at the shrine. The present Dhameswar temple which houses the statue was built nearly 200 years ago with the financial support of local rulers and zamindars. [Shubhendu Kumar Siddhanta]