Pushtimarg Baithak


Baithak or Bethak,, is a site considered sacred by the followers of the Pushtimarg tradition of Vaishnava Hinduism in India for performing devotional rituals. These sites are associated with Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhu, the founder of Pushtimarg and his descendants. They mark public events in their lives. Some of them are restricted or foreboding. These sites are spread across India and are chiefly concentrated in Braj region in Uttar Pradesh and in western state of Gujarat. Total 142 Baithaks are considered sacred; 84 of Vallabhacharya, 28 of his son Viththalanath Gusainji and 30 of his seven grandsons.

Baithaks

Mahaprabhu was the founder of Pushtimarg who lived in 15th century. From the young age, he travelled and visited pilgrimage sites across India. He recited and gave discourses on sacred scriptures like Vedas, Ramayana and Bhagavata at these sites. The locations for recitation were usually banks of the rivers or lakes and quite groves in outskirt of towns. He recited original texts from scriptures as well as gave commentaries on them. Later these commentaries were compiled in Anubhashya and Subodhini.
These are 84 sites where Vallabhacharya gave discourses which are known as Baithaks. Later small shrines are built to commemorate the event at some sites. Some sites do not have shrines or temples to mark the place but they are known only through stories and texts.
At these shrines, the hand-written manuscripts and personal artifacts of Vallabhacharya are housed which are revered by the followers. They generally don't house images. Personal use products like clothes and ornaments are offered by the followers. Only water and sugar crystals are offered as Vallabhacharya used to fast during sacred recitals. They too follow seven darshan schedule followed in Vaishnava Haveli temples.
His descendants also gave discourses at various places and established their Baithaks.

Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya's 84 Baithaks

These 84 Baithaks are located from Rameshwaram at the southern tip of India to Badrinath in the north, and from Narayan Sarovar and Bet Dwarka in west to Puri in the east. Baithaks are also located at the places associated with his life such as at Tirumala Tirupati, the family's tutelary deity; Champaran, his birthplace; Varanasi where he spent significant part of his life. Baithaks are also located in the regions highly associated with Krishna such as in Braj region and in Dwarka in Gujarat.
NumberBaithak NameLocationTown/CityDistrictStateCoordinatesNotes
1GovindghatGokulMathuraMathuraUttar PradeshFirst Gokul Baithak, Brahma Sambandh Baithak
2Badi Bhitar BaithakGokulGokulMathuraUttar PradeshSecond Gokul Baithak, Gupta Baithak
3Shayya MandirDwarkadhish TempleGokulMathuraUttar PradeshThird Gokul Baithak
4BansivatVrindavanMathuraUttar Pradesh
5VishramghatVishramghat MathuraMathuraUttar Pradesh
6MadhuvanMadhuvanMaholiMathuraUttar Pradesh
7KumodvanKumodvanUsfarMathuraUttar Pradesh
8BahulavanBahulavanBathiMathuraUttar Pradesh
9Radhakrishna KundRadhakundMathuraUttar Pradesh
10Mansiganganear Chakreshwar Mahadev, Vallabh GhatGovardhanMathuraUttar PradeshTwo Baithaks
11ParasoliChandrasarovarGovardhanMathuraUttar Pradesh
12AnyorSadu Pandey's HouseAnyorMathuraUttar Pradesh
13Govindkundopposite GirirajAnyorMathuraUttar Pradesh
14Sundershilaopposite foothill of GirirajJatipuraMathuraUttar Pradesh
15Govardhan hillinside Shrinathji's Temple on Giriraj hillJatipuraMathuraUttar PradeshGupta Baithak
16KamvanKamvan, ShrikundKamanBharatpurRajasthan
17Ghewarvannear Radhaji's Temple, below MorkutirBarsanaMathuraUttar Pradesh
18Sanketvanin the Garden, Krishna KundBarsanaMathuraUttar Pradesh
19NandgamMansarovar RoadNandgamMathuraUttar Pradesh
20KokilavanJauvBaithenMathuraUttar Pradesh
21BhandirvanOpposite bank of Yamuna riverBhandir, Manjh TalukaMathuraUttar PradeshGupta Baithak
22Mansarovar Opposite bank of Yamuna riverMatMathuraUttar Pradesh
23Sukar kshetra Saurabhghat on bank of Ganga riverSoronKasganjUttar Pradesh
24ChitrakutKamtanath hillPili KothiSatnaMadhya Pradesh
25AyodhyaRamghat Road, Gunsai GhatAyodhyaFaizabadUttar PradeshGupta Baithak
26Naimisharanyaopposite Vedvyasa AshramNaimisharanya, Taluka MishrakSitapurUttar PradeshGupta Baithak
27Kashi-1Sheth Purushottamdas' House JatanvadVaranasiKashiUttar Pradesh
28Kashi-2Hanuman GhatVaranasiKashiUttar Pradesh
29Harihar Kshetra Baithakji Hajipurnear Mahadevji's temple, Magarhatta ChowkHajipurVaishaliBihar
30JanakpurBhagwandas Garder, near Chhoti Dhigi village JanakpurVaishaliBiharGupta Baithak
31Gangasagar Sangamnear Kapil Ashram, on Kapil Kund, Kakdwip BetWest BengalGupta Baithak
32Champaranyavia RajimChamparanRaipurChhattisgarhBirthplace
33Champaranya Chattigharvia RajimChamparanRaipurChhattisgarh
34Jagannathpurinear Harjimal Dudhwala'S Dharmshala, Grant RoadPuriOdisha
35Pandharpuropposite Bank of River Chandrabagha, ShegaondumalaPandharpurMaharashtra
36NasikParasram Puriya Marg, Panchvati KaranjaNasikMaharashtra
37Pannakala NrisimhaOn Mangalgiri hill, Mangalgiri StationVijayawadaAndhra PradeshGupt Baithak
38Tirupati Lakshman BalajiLakshman Balaji, Medharam Metta RoadTirumalaAndhra Pradesh
39ShrirangjiShrirangamTiruchirappalliTamil NaduGupta Baithak
40VishnukanchiChetravatri MuttukolamVishnukanchiTamil Nadu
41SetubandhVallabhacharya MathRameshwaramRamnadTamil NaduGupta Baithak
42Malayachal ParvatMalayachal Parvat near OotyKarnatakaGupta Baithak
43LohgadhGujarati Temple, beside Rudreshwar Temple, Harvane - SankhadiSanquelimNorth GoaGoaGupta Baithak
44Tamraparni RiverOn the bankTiruchirappalliTamil NaduGupta Baithak
45Krishna RiverKrishna Dham, Vadi Junction near Raichur StationKrishnaAndhra PradeshGupta Baithak
46Pampa Sarovarnear Hampi Village, Haspeth Railway StationKarnatakaGupta Baithak
47PadmanabhPondhanathThiruvananthapuramKeralaGupta Baithak
48Janardan KshetraJanardan KshetraVarkalaKerala
49VidyanagarHampi Village, near Tungbhadra RiverHampiKarnatakaGupta Baithak
50TrilokbhanTamraparni River, Totadri hillTamil NaduGupta Baithak
51TotadriTotadri hill, Nangumeri villageTirunelveliTirunelveliTamil NaduGupta Baithak
52DarvasenAdisetuRamnadTamil NaduGupta Baithak
53SuratAshwinikumar Ghat, near Tapi RiverSuratSuratGujarat
54Bharuchbeside District Panchayat, Station Road, on bank of Narmada riverBharuchBharuchGujarat
55Morbiopposite Bank of Machchhu River, behind L.E. CollegeMorbiMorbiGujarat
56Jamnagarnear Nagmati River, Kalavad RoadJamnagarJamnagarGujarat
57JamkhambhaliyaStation Road, on the KundJamkhambhaliyaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat
58Pindtarakfrom Nandana Patiya Via Bhatiya, PindaraPindaraDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat
59Mul GomtiDevidas Nathuram, Neelakantha ChowkDwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat
60Harikund, Dwarkanear Gomti RiverDwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat
61Gopi TalavDwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat
62Bet ShankhoddharShankh TalavBet DwarkaDevbhoomi DwarkaGujarat
63Narayan SarovarNarayan Sarovar, Lakhpat TalukaNarayan SarovarKutchGujarat
64JunagadhDamodar KundJunagadhJunagadhGujarat
65Prabhas on the Ghat of Triveni RiverPrabhas PatanGir SomnathGujarat
66Madhavpuron KadamkundMadhavpur GhedPorbandarGujarat
67Gupta Prayag on TrivenikundDelvadaJunagadhGujarat
68TagadiAhmedabad - Botad RoadTagadiAhmedabadGujarat
69NarodaGopaldasji Haveli, NarodaAhmedabadAhmedabadGujarat
70GodhraRana Vyas Road, Patel Vad, GodhraGodhraPanchmahalGujarat
71KheraluShrimalivasKheraluMehsanaGujarat
72SiddhpurBindu Sarovar RoadSiddhpurPatanGujarat
73Avantikapuri Gomti Kund, inside Sandipani AshramUjjainUjjainMadhya Pradesh
74PushkarNear Brahma Mandir, VallabhghatPushkarAjmerRajasthan
75KurukshetraSaraswati Kund, near Bhadkrali temple, ThanesarKurukshetraKurukshetraHaryanaGupta Baithak
76HaridwarRamghat, on bank of Ganga riverHaridwarHaridwarUttarakhandGupta Baithak
77Badrikashramnear TempleBadrinathChamoliUttarakhand
78KedarnathKedar KundBadrinathChamoliUttarakhandGupta Baithak
79Vyas Ashramnear Alaknanda - Saraswati Sangam, Keshav PrayagBadrinathChamoliUttarakhandGupta Baithak
80Himachal ParvatHimachal PradeshGupta Baithak
81Vyas GangaVyasghatHimachal PradeshGupta Baithak
82MandarachalMandarachal hillTamil NaduGupta Baithak
83Arail /AdelTriveni SangamDevrakh, NainiAllahabadUttar Pradesh
84CharnatAcharya Koop Charnat ChunarMirzapurUttar Pradesh

Vallabhkula Baithaks

Many Baithaks of Vallabhkula, the descendants of the Vallabhacharya are at the sites of Baithaks of Vallabhacharya. This Baithaks are sanctified by Viththalnath Gusainji and his seven sons. 28 Baithaks are associated with Gusainji Viththalnath while 30 more Baithaks are associated with his seven sons.
They are as follows:
;28 Baithaks of Gusainji Viththalnath, younger son of Vallabhacharya
; 4 Baithaks of Giridharji, the eldest son of Viththalanath
  1. Gokul
  2. Jatipura, in Mathuraji temple near Gosainji's Baithak
  3. caves of Kamara hill
  4. Narisevan, near Dauji's temple
; 1 Baithak of Balkrishnalalji, third son of Viththalnath
  1. Gokul in Dwarakadhish temple
;13 Baithaks of Gokulnathji, fourth son of Viththalnath – 13 Baithaks
; 1 Baithak of Raghunathji, fifth son of Viththalnath
  1. Gokul
; 1 Baithak of Ghanshyamji, youngest son of Viththalnath
  1. Gokul
; 7 Baithaks of Harirai Mahaprabhu
  1. Gokul, in the Vithalnath's temple.
  2. Nathadwara, in the temple of Vithalnath
  3. Khamanor
  4. Jaisalmer, on the banks of Gomati river
  5. Sawali, near lake
  6. Jambusar, near lake
; 3 Baithaks of Damodardas Harsani, devotee of Vallabhacharya
  1. Thakaranighat in Gokul
  2. Bansighat in Vrindavan
  3. Khambhalia, near Mahaprabhu's Baithak