Tarapith Temple falls in Birbhum district of West Bengal which is the place of Shaktipeeths. It should be known that out of 51 Shaktipeeths, five Shaktipeeths are in this district, which are famous by the names of Bakureshwar, Nalhati, Bandikeshwari, Fulora Devi and Tarapith. Of these, Tarapith is the most prominent religious place and also a Siddhapeeth.
History of Tarapith Temple
When Mata Sati gave her life by jumping into the Yagya Kund on the insult of Shiva by her father, Shiva started performing Mahatandav. They became eager to destroy the Brahmin while carrying the dead body of sati on their shoulders.
That’s why Lord Vishnu dismembered the maa sati’s body with his Sudarshan Chakra to calm Shiva’s anger. In such a situation, the body parts of Mata Sati fell in different parts of the country. In this great pilgrimage of Hindus, the star of the pupil of the eye of Mata Sati had fallen. This is the reason why it is named as Tarapeeth.
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Siddhasant Vamakhepa is popular here
Just as Maa Kali had given darshan to Ramakrishna Paramhans, in the same way the Goddess had given divine knowledge to Vamakhepa, a Siddhasant of Tarapith. Maa Mahakali had blessed him by giving darshan in the crematorium, hence Tarapeeth is also considered a special place for Tantriks.
This saint, who attained success at the age of just 18, gave up his life at the age of 72 in the great crematorium of Tarapith. This place is considered very auspicious for the Aghoris. Tarapeeth is the great cremation ground in front of the main temple. Interestingly, the Dwarka river here flows from south to north, whereas other rivers of India flow from north to south.
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Tarapith Temple of Maa Tara Devi?
This is a medium sized temple whose wall is decorated with marble. Its roof is sloping which is called Dhochala. The carving done on its entrance looks very attractive. Many forms of Adishakti are shown in the temple.
The three eyes of the goddess can be seen here which is also known as Tara. Along with this, the idol of Lord Shiva is also present here. The sanctum sanctorum is the abode of Maa Tara where there is a three feet metal idol. The original idol of Maa Tara shows the fierce and angry form of the goddess.
It is the matter of surprise that liquor is also offered here as Prasad. Tantrik sadhus not only offer it to the mother but also drink it. Not only this, animal sacrifices are performed here daily. Tarapeeth is as important as Kamakhya for those who believe in Tantra Shakti. The smoke of the dead body burning in the crematorium reaches the sanctum sanctorum of the Tarapith temple, due to which its importance increases further.
It becomes very easy for the Tantriks to attain Siddhi by coming to Tarapeeth. In the Pret-Shila situated near the temple, people donate bodies for the peace of the souls of the ancestors. It is believed that Lord Ram also performed tarpan and pinddaan of his father here. Tourists from India and abroad come here to fulfill their wishes.
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How to reach Tarapith Temple
By road- To reach the temple, you can take State Highway 13 from Birbhum. Tarapith is connected to major cities by a well-maintained network of roads. State and private buses connect Tarapith to the cities.
By air- Kolkata Airport is the nearest airport to Tarapith. It is situated 200 km away.
By railway- Rampur Hat Railway Station is the nearest to Tarapith Temple. It is located about 6 km from the city.
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