Significant among the 14 Shakti Peethas also known as Saati Peethas located in West Bengal, is the Bargabhima Temple. This ancient Hindu temple is located in Tamluk, Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal. Tamluk, an important seaport and town of ancient India, is located in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal.
As per Hindu mythology, the left foot heel of Devi Sati fell in the city of Tamluk after her body was dismembered by Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra. It is narrated in ancient Puranas that wherever Sati’s body parts fell, a Shakti peetha was established. The temple of Devi Bargabhima has been built in Tamluk, where Sati’s left feel fell.
When entire India celebrates Diwali, the state of West Bengal observes Kali Puja. Goddess Kali is worshiped, feared and revered across the state and the festival generally takes place a day ahead of Diwali. Even though Kali Puja 2024 is celebrated in Tamluk with great fanfare, no puja starts without taking ‘permission’ from Devi Bargabhima.
Devi Bargabhima’s idol
Goddess Bargabhima is four-armed. At her feet is a reclining statue of Shiva. On the upper right hand of the idol is a sword and on the lower one is a trident. In the upper left hand is a scythe and in the lower hand is a skull. On both sides of Bargabhima are decorated statues of the ten-armed Mahishamardini and the two-armed Mahishamardini.
The goddess is worshipped here as ‘Bargabhima’ and Bhairav is worshipped as ‘Kapali’. Although the original idol of the goddess is made of black stone and is worshipped in the form of Goddess Ugratara. Legend has it that during the Mahabharata, king Tamradhwaja had founded this temple.
According to folklore, Goddess Bargabhima has been worshipped since the time of the Mahabharata. Here she is worshipped in the form of Kali. She is also sometimes worshipped in the form of Durga or Jagaddhatri. According to tradition, even today in Tamluk city, before Durga Puja is organised in any pandal, worship is offered in the Devi Bargabhima temple.
Kali Puja at Devi Bargabhima temple
In this Bargbhima temple of the Goddess’s Satipeeth, the Goddess is worshipped in different forms throughout the year. Sometimes Durga, sometimes Kali, and sometimes Jagaddhatri are worshipped. However, since the Goddess here is in the form of Kali, every year on the days of Kali Puja, the Goddess is dressed in a new royal attire with new clothes and gold ornaments and special worship is performed according to Tantric rituals.
Devotees believe that if you come to Devi Bargabhima with a prayer, she will not turn you away. And following this belief, this temple remains crowded every day of the year. a crowd gathers in this temple of Tamluk every day of the year. It is a tradition to worship Devi Bargabhima first when any auspicious work is done by an individual or an organization. And following that tradition, during Kali Puja, Devi Bargabhima is worshipped first, following which other Goddess Kali idols in the area are worshipped.
This rule is not only in Tamluk city, but also in the surrounding areas of Nandakumar, Mahishadal, Kolaghat, Chaitanyapur.
Devi Bargabhima’s “Bhog”
Every day of the year, there is a special offering of Shol fish for the Goddess. There is no exception on the day of Kali Puja. On Kali Puja, the offerings of the Goddess are arranged with a lot of food items including Shol fish. Five types of fish including shola fish, five types of fried food, five types of curry, rice, pulao, khichdi and various types of sweets are offered in Devi’s Bhog.
A crowd of visitors gather in the temple throughout the year to receive Prashad from the offerings of the Goddess. The temple is open for devotees every day from 6 am to 8 pm. The people of Tamluk believe that the then Mayura dynasty king of Tamluk built this temple.
Temple priest Pranab Chakraborty said, “The goddess of Tamluk, the other of the 51 shrines of Sati, is still awake in full glory. Even today, the goddess is offered fish every day. Before any auspicious work in the area begins, permission is taken from Goddess Bargabhima. Since the goddess is very awake, devotees from far and wide outside the district flock to the temple.”
Who built Bargabhima temple?
The goddess is known as Bargabhima because she bestows the four ‘vargas’ of religion, wealth, desire and moksha. The temple architecture shows traces of Odissi tradition.
The original Bargabhima temple was constructed by the king of the Mayur dynasty, with the present structure being a reconstruction after its destruction. The original temple is an ancient structure, but the modern temple was rebuilt after being destroyed during Islamic invasions. The current temple was built on the remains of the ancient structure after it was destroyed during the Islamic occupation of Bengal.
The temple’s height is about 60 feet. The idol of Devi Bargabhima made of black stone is present in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. It is quite difficult to estimate the actual age of this temple.
Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!
App Store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540
Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share