Mahishmardini in Bakreswar Shakti Peeth in Bengal
Shakti Peetha is a holy place for all Hindus. There are 51 Shakti Peeth of which 42 are in India and 10 others scattered in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Bakreswar Shakti Peeth is one among them.
What is Shakti Peeth?
There is mention in Shiva Purana, holy book of Hindus, about how these places came to be known as Shakti Peetha and why there are 51 of them. Daksh, one of the solar Gods, is father-in-law of Lord Shiva, whom he disliked. His daughter Sati married Lord Shiva against his wishes.
Once he conducted a huge yagna (sacrificial sacred fire) and deliberately did not invite his daughter Sati and son-in-law Shiva. Yet Sati went to the event uninvited where her father Daksha insulted her husband by calling him names. Feeling humiliated Sati immolated herself in the same sacrificial fire. Enraged Shiva beheads his father-in-law. Lord Vishnu intervenes and Daksha is given a new life with a ram’s head.
Meanwhile Lord Shiva deep in sorrow wanders away with the corpse of his wife Sati, refusing to part with it. Lord Vishnu uses his divine discus and cuts the corpse to pieces. It is believed the body of Sati was cut to 51 pieces which fell in different parts of Indian subcontinent. These places are known as Shakti Peethas or Shakti Peeth.
Which part of Sati in Bakreswar Shakti Peeth
In one of my earlier post, Kankalitala, I mentioned how it is believed that waist of Goddess Sati is said to have fallen there. The portion between the eyebrows is believed to have fallen here in Bakreswar, West Bengal. This portion is symbolic of her mind. Bakreswar Shakti Peeth is thus one of the 13 Shakti Peeth of West Bengal.
The curvilinear shikhara (rising tower above the sanctum sanctorum) of Bakreswar Temple is visible from a distance. It is quite different from the terracotta structure we kept seeing throughout our tour. This is a two temple complex, along with it being a Shakti Peetha, there is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva too.
Shiva Temple at Bakreswar
The legend for Lord Shiva’s Temple here is that Ashtavakra (8 curves), a crippled sage meditated upon Lord Shiva for 10,000 years. Pleased with him, Lord Shiva cured him of his physical deformity. From then on it is believed that those pilgrims who prayed to Sage Ashtavakra in this temple would be blessed with many boons.
Hot Water Spring in Bakreswar
In addition to these temples Bakreswar is famous for kund (hot water spring). There are several hot water springs in Bakreswar in West Bengal with varying degrees of hotness. At agni kund, you will get to see steaming water.
There are more water bodies: bhairav kund, khar kund, dudh kund and Surya kund. One of them has good dressing room facilities and you can dip yourself in the warm pool before proceeding to the temple. Use of soaps and oil are prohibited here. Devotees believe that these hot water springs have curative powers. They are often seen dipping their hands and feet into it just to absorb the healing divine energies. I did the same.
Water from here is collected for scientific and research purposes.
Science and religion coexists!
How to Reach Bakreswar Shakti Peeth
Bakreswar is 230kms from Kolkata, capital of West Bengal. Kolkata is very well connected by both international and national flights. From Kolkata you can take state transport buses, trains or hire a private car.
More Shakti Peeth Temples
Danteshwari Temple in Chhattisgarh where Her teeth is worshiped.
Tarapith Shakti Peeth – Goddess Sati’s eyeballs have fallen here.
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Nice one, Indrani!
Thanks for sharing this information Indrani. 🙂
Wow..nice to know Indrani. Never have been to Bakreswar.
finally you posted something about someplace where i have been 🙂
Hello Indrani,
I always know about new place from your post. Thanks for sharing.
Nice Snap 🙂
«Louis» always learns something when he visits your blog, Indrani! You post many fascinating places that «Louis» is unlikely to see, so it is always a pleasure to travel vicariously by stopping here… 🙂
Quite an interesting post Indrani..
Loved all the pictures. It is a delight to know about these places and the legends associated with it.
Thank you for sharing the interesting history of this place.
It seems you travel a lot, which is really fun and exciting…
Wonder if the Peeth in Pakistan is still there 😐
A good read! Thanks for sharing.
Never knew there are 10 out of India. Nice info and photos !
Your posts are always engaging and informative. The Kund seems very similar to something I had seen in the Golden Temple. People can bathe in the holy water before entering the temple.
And yeah, nice pictures 🙂
Hi Puru, We got something like 'batasha'. Probably if you go during puja time the prasad may be different. Also it depends on what was given as 'bhog' on that day.
What is offered as prasad here ?
Fascinating and lovely tower!
I knew this sounded familiar. I know the one in Pushkar! 🙂
Great Pics Indrani
I love getting a glimpse of our history and heritage through your posts Indrani . The pictures are beautiful and the story behind it so intriguing .
Lovely pics…
Beautiful pictures Indrani 🙂
Lovely pictures and useful information.
Science and religion together is a rare sight but in India I guess anything can co exist as long as you don't have politicians around.
How wonderful to live in a place that has so many beautiful historic sites.
I remember the Nritya Rupaka of Dakshayini we performed in school. Thanks to this post which adds some more to my knowledge about Shakti Peethas.
Fascinating post and great shots.
Thank you for sharing the history of the Shakti Peethas. Great photos!
I find them fascinating and I would so love to visit there!! Your posts/photos are the next best thing! Have a wonderful week, Indrani!!
It's interesting there's a modern twist to these ancient places.
interesting history behind these.