Born in Navadvip (Nadia, Bengal) Chaitanya grew up as Pandit Nimai, a cantankerous, carping scholar teacher who could beat any scholar of repute visiting that part of the country in disputation. At the age of 22, during a visit to Gaya, he was suddenly initiated into the bhakti cult by Ishwarpuri and from then on Chaitanya spent a life of humility and divine bliss. Reciting and singing the names Hari, Govinda and Krishna became his only occupation. He preached only the importance of nama-sankirtana and that the fervent devotion of Radha to Krishna was the best example of bhakti for all devotees to follow. Disciples gathered around him both at Nadia and at Puri where he settled and, through them, he worked miracles, the greatest being that of converting to the bhakti cult anyone, be he a believer or not, who came into his sphere of influence even once. The sincerity of the overpowering religious experience that Chaitanya radiated could not but move millions, scholars and laymen alike, irrespective of caste or creed, to partake in the ecstacy of his nama-sankirtana, which took place unceasingly. Descriptions of his state of ecstacy and various extraordinary and supernatural incidents that are said to have taken place during his life led his contemporaries to treat him as an avatara even in his own lifetime. He is considered to be an avatara of Lord Krishna himself. He left no writings for posterity ; he only showed by his own example and by his sankirtana how deep, intense and enjoyable bhakti could be. He identified, for posterity, the locations of Krishna's exploits in Brindavan. His life is the inspiration and motivating force for the modern Krishna- Consciousness movement of the past few decades. Chaitanya is also known as Sri Krishna Chaitanya or Gouranga.