Temples of Kali

In the year 1847, the wealthy widow Rani Rasmani prepared to go upon a long pilgrimage to the sacred city of Banaras to express her devotions to the Divine Mother. In those days there was no railway line between Calcutta and Banaras and it was more comfortable for rich persons to make the journey by boat rather than by road. We are told that the convoy of Rani Rasmani consisted of twenty four boats carrying relatives, servants, and supplies. But the night before the pilgrimage began, the Divine Mother, in the form of the goddess Kali, intervened. She appeared to the Rani in a dream and said, "There is no need to go to Banaras. Install my statue in a beautiful temple on the banks of the Ganges river and arrange for my worship there. Then I shall manifest myself in the image and accept worship at that place."

Profoundly affected by the dream, the Rani immediately looked for and purchased land, and promptly began construction of the temple. The large temple complex, built between 1847 and 1855, had as its centerpiece a shrine of the goddess Kali, but also had temples dedicated to the deities Shiva and Radha-Krishna. A scholarly and elderly sage was chosen as the head priest and the temple was consecrated in 1855. Within the year this priest died and his responsibility passed to his younger brother, Ramakrishna, who over the next thirty years would bring great fame to the Dakshineswar temple.

History

Dakshineshwar in Hooghly district is known for its Kali temple, made famous through its association with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the spiritual Guru of the religious leader Swami Vivekananda.

Queen Rasmani the renowned queen of Janbazar, was the founder of this temple. In the year 1847, dreamed the wealthy widow Rani Rasmani dreamed the Divine Mother, in the form of the goddess Kali.

She appeared to the Rani in a dream and said, "There is not need to go to Banaras. Install my statue in a beautiful temple on the banks of the Ganges River and arrange for my worship there. Then I shall manifest myself in the image and accept worship at that place." Profoundly affected by the dream, Rani immediately purchased land from Mr. Hasti, and promptly began construction of the temple; it needs the time from 1847 to 1855. It cost an estimated Rs.9 lakhs of which, Rs. 2 lakhs was spent on the day of inauguration. The temple and its adjoining areas stand on 25 acres of land. The Ganga River flows beside the temple. To the east there are 12 Shiva temples. To the north of the Kali-temple is a Dalan of Radha-Krishna. There is a sort of courtyard behind the Shiva temple. Here stands the main temple where everyday, the mother Goddess is worshipped with ardent fervors, pomp and with great devotion. There is a long spacious Natmandir (Dancing hall) in front of the temple, where the goddess Dakshina Kali stands on the breast of Shiva. There are other subsidiary shrines on this temple compound. The temple, in conventional Nava-ratna style, measures 46 feet square and rise over 100 feet high. The temple is a large elongated building standing on a high platform with a flight of stairs. It is one of the largest temples of Calcutta. The temple compound on three sides - north, east and south - is enclosed by rows of guestrooms and offices.

Recognized as one of the 51 Shaktipithas of India, the Jwalamukhi Devi Temple, tended by the followers of Goraknath, is set against a cliff. The picturesque temple, built in the Indo-Sikh style, is a modern building whose dome is of gilt, gold and pinnacles and possesses a beautiful folding door of silver plates, presented by the Sikh Raja Kharak Singh. Dedicated to the "Goddess of Light", the Jwalamukhi temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples in Northern India. The temple located on a small spur on the Dharamshala-Shimla road at a distance of about 20-kms from the Jwalamukhi Road Railway Station attracts lakhs of pilgrims every year. In this temple there is a copper pipe through which natural gas comes out.

After Daksha Yoga Bhagna, Lord Shiva placed the burnt dead body of Sati on his shoulders and started wandering about in a state of madness. To save the world from the destructive wrath of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu started cutting the limbs of the dead Goddess Parvati one by one. The places where they fell became sacred centers for the worship of Shakti. The tongue of Sati fell at the place where the temple of Jwalamukhi is situated. The flames that come out of the openings in the earth's surface are regarded as the manifestations of the fallen tongue of Sati and are worshipped as "Jwalamukhi Devi" (Goddess, who emits flames from her mouth).

The present temple was built in 1809 on the site of an ancient temple. It is also known as the Kalighat temple. It is on the name of this temple that English gave the place name Calcutta which is anglicized form of Kalikata. The legend says that a finger of the Sati, wife of Lord Shiva, fell here.

Since then it has been an important pilgrimage site. But the temple is dedicated to the destructive side of Shiva which takes the form of Kali. She requires sacrifice daily to satisfy her blood lust so every morning goats are sacrifices on the alter of the temple. The temple is busy through out the year and is surrounded by poor who come to have free meal. The Hospital for Dying Destitute by Mother Teresa is near the temple and every one is a welcome visitor here.

History

According to a scripture called "Pithamala's Nigamatantra" the vast bow shaped land stretching from Dakshineshwer to Bahulapur i.e. Behala is the Kalikhetra or realm of Kali. The core triangular region, approximately 1 krosha have Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on the three inner corners and Devi Kalika at its center. Nakuleshwar Bhairava and Ganges remains side by side at this shrine. Austerity of the region parallels that of Kashi (Venaras). All forms of Hindu Mother Goddess like Bhairavi, Bagala, Bidya, Matangi, Kamala, Brahmi, Maheshwari and Chandi will always exist at this location. Living beings whoever will breath its last at this location will be relieved of all sin. In the second century AD Ptolemy's India has a reference of a place called Kaligrama. Nearly 2000 years back another writing called Bhabishya Purana also refers to a Kali temple near Gobindapur village at the bank of Ganges.

Kalighata might have been situated as early as the time of the Guptas,as coins of the time was unearthed from the location. At the end of the Buddhist suprimacy at Bengal Tantric sects became active. During the time waterways was the common trading routes. For this purpose river Adiganga (old course of Ganges), touching Kalikhetra was an important route to Bay of Bengal. These traders used to offer pujas to the various temples situated at both the banks, among these that of Kali was most important to them. Amidst the dense forest the bank from which vehicles deport and arrive was termed gradually as "Ghat" or dock. The river as Kaliganga and the region came to be known as Kalighat. Kalighat was at that time a small hut like structure with a furious idol of Kali in it and a dense jungle around.

The present Dakshina Kali idol in touchstone might have been a creation of two saints called Brahmananda Giri and Atmaram Giri. It was they who discovered fossils of fingers of Devi Sati's feet from the pond called Kalikunda. This discovery made Kalighat as one of the 51 shrines or Pithas of worshippers of Shakti or mother goddess, where sections of Sati's body was throw at the time of Tandava. Those fingers (according to some only one finger) were still preserved in a silver box under the idol, at the north-east corner.

Saborno Chaudhuries of Borisha reconstructed the temple to its present form. It was under Raja Santosh Roy chaudhuri of Saborno Chaudhuri lineage that present day temple construction was started around end of 1798. In its early days, after death of Brahmananda and Atmaram Giri, the "Mohonto" system (main disciples among the saints chosen as Priest) was practiced at Kalighat. During the time of such a disciple, Bhubaneswar Giri the first change occurs. He kept a woman called Yogamaya as his companion or Bhairavi as called according to Shakta traditions. Yogamaya died at an early age shortly after giving birth to a daughter called Uma. As Uma attained the age of marriage Bhubeneswar gets divine instruction to give marriage of Uma and to continue worship by her husband as the mother goddess is no longer willing to get offerings from the hands of ascetic priests. From then onwards all sebayats (people who make their living out of worshipping) of Kalighat are married. At the same time another miracle occurred. A person called Bhabanidas Chakraborty in search of his Kali worshipper father came to Kalighat. On Bhubaneswar he settled there marrying Uma and became the first married priest of Kalighat following the Divine instruction.

Bhabanidas was himself a Vaishnava and in course of time established his family idol of Vasudeva on the west side of the main temple. One day he had a dream that the Mother is willing to have a decoration of sandalwood paste or what is known as "Tilaka" (commonly used by Vaishnavas or worshippers of Vishnu). In the next moment at the temple he found the idol to have an unfinished decoration of sandalwood paste and the residue paste in the container with marks of vermilion in it and rest spilled on the entire room. The Vashudeva idol was painted with both sandalwood paste and vermilion. Bhabanidas put "Tilaka" on the forehead of Kali realising the divine massage that both Kali and Krishna are the same spirit.This ends the long drawn rivalry between the Vaishnava cult and Sakti cult. From then onwards Kali has been decorated with Tilaka in her forehead. Kalighat celebrate another novel ritual from then onwards. At the very day of Shyamapuja, Alaxmi (negative) was driven away like West Bengali Hindu rituals and Dipawali was conducted with welcoming of Goddess Laxmi. But here no idol or any symbol of Laxmi was worshipped. Instead the Mother goddess herself was worshipped as Laxmi, as she is believed to be the expression of entire 33 crores of Hindu gods and goddess.

Situated in Nehru Place (New Delhi), Kalkaji Temple is a very old temple and the oldest part was built up in 1764 A.D. The Kali Temple in Kalkaji boasts of an existence of 3,000 years, although the oldest surviving portion of it dates to 1764-1771 when the Marathas were in power.Kalkaji temple dedicated to the Goddess Kalka Devi.

Kalkaji mandir is very famous and has numerous devotees thronging it on many religious occasions, throughout the year. Small red flags decorate the temple then, and women outnumber men among the devotees. Folklore is replete with tales of the Kalkaji temple, so much so that one does not know where legend ends and history begins.

The Kamakhya Temple in Assam is one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India, and is regarded as one of the Shakti Peethams associated with the legend of Shiva and Daksha Yagna. Kamakhya is located on a hill - Neelachala Parvat or Kamagiri near the city of Guwahati in Assam. Shakti, residing on the Kamagiri hill is known as Kamakhya, the granter of desires. Assam traditionally has been known as the Kamarupa Desa and has been associated with Tantric practices and Shakti worship.

This temple was destroyed in early 16th century, and then rebuilt in the 17th century by King Nara Narayana, of Cooch Bihar. Images of the builder and related inscriptions are seen in the temple. The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Shiva, and the giver of salvation.

One of the best-known temples of Guwahati is Kamakhya, situated on Nilachal Hill, eight km west of the city. This temple honours the Mother Goddess Kamakhya, the essence of female energy. It is one of the 108 Shakti Peethas of Goddess Durga. The Kamakhya Temple in Assam is one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India, and is regarded as one of the Shakti Peethams associated with the legend of Shiva and Daksha Yagna. The Temple was rebuilt in 1665 after being destroyed by Muslim invaders, but its origins are much older than that. Here, Durga Puja is celebrated annually during Navaratri in the month of September- October. It is a three-day festival attracting several visitors. The temple consists of seven oval spires, each topped by three golden pitchers, and the doorway spirals down to a curvy path of some distance. Some of the sculptured panels of the temple carry depictions of Gods and Goddesses of Hindu pantheon carved in a delightful pattern. Tortoises, monkeys, and large number of pigeons have made the temple their home, and loiter around the premise, being fed by the temple authorities and the visitors. The mysterious, as well as the peaceful ambience of the temple combine together to soothe the nerves of visitors, and take their minds to flights of inner salvation, and this is the very reason that people come here for. With all its enigmatic grandeur and pictorial locale, the Kamakhya Temple is one of the most amazing structures, not only in Assam, but also in the whole of India.

The Karni Mata temple, 30 kms from Bikaner, is dedicated to an early fifteenth century mystic who was considered to be a reincarnation of goddess Durga. The specially of the temple is that it is inhabited by legions of brown rats which scurry around the complex without aby fear. The rats are believed to be repositories of the souls of dead charans, the traditional bards.

Bikaner's ruler Ganga Singh had the whole temple built in marble. The domes of the temple are made of silver and gold. The manadap and the panels above the image are also golden. Devotees place offerings in silver and gold when their prayers are answered.

The elaborate works on the main gate of the temple is a tribute to the fine craftsmanship of the artisans of those days. On the occasion of Navratri, this temple hosts a fair which attracts hordes of pilgrims from places far the near.

Maa Mahakalika temple, Pawagadh is one of the biggest tourist and pilgrimage centres in the dynamic state of Gujarat which attracts lakhs ot tourists and pilgrims every year and tops the list of educational institutions' excursion programmes.From the city of Baroda, at a distance of 45 Kms. the old town of Pawagadh is located. The entire area is mainly forest land and very picturesque.

On the hill top, the ancient famous temple of Mahakalika is located. It is beleived to be one of the 51 Shakti Peeths. The right toe of Goddess Kalika fell here. On the ground floor of the temple is Shakti Peeth and idol of Goddess Kali visited by Hindus and on the roof of the building is a Mazar of a Peer, visited by Muslim devotees. In the same structure, two places of worship stand and two sets of devotees visit them in perfect peace and harmony. A unique distinction indeed.

Goddess Mahakalika has been fulfilling wishes of millions of devotees for thousands of years.

Some 300 miles from Calcutta, Tarapith is situated on the banks of the north flowing Dwarka river, in Birbhum, in West Bengal. The temple that was built by Vasistha got buried under the earth with the passage of time. Tarapith as it stands today, was built by Joybroto, a merchant, who received directions from Tara Maa in his sleep to unearth the 'brahmashila', or the sacred stone, to set it up as a shrine in a proper place. Tara Maa of Tarapith, another form of Kali, has two hands, is garlanded with snakes, is adorned in sacred threads, and has Shiva lying in her left lap sucking her breast.

Since then it has been an important pilgrimage site. But the temple is dedicated to the destructive side of Shiva which takes the form of Kali. She requires sacrifice daily to satisfy her blood lust so every morning goats are sacrifices on the alter of the temple. The temple is busy throughout the year and is surrounded by poor who come to have free meal. The Hospital for Dying Destitute by Mother Teresa is near the temple and every one is a welcome visitor here.

Tarapith is regarded as one of the 52 Shakti Peethams of India. Some 300 miles from Calcutta, Tarapith is situated on the banks of the north flowing Dwarka River, in Birbhum, in West Bengal. Tara Maa of Tarapith, another form of Kali, has two hands, is garlanded with snakes, is adorned in sacred threads, and has Shiva lying in her left lap sucking her breast. But the temple is dedicated to the destructive aspect of Shiva, which takes the form of Kali. She requires sacrifice daily to satisfy her blood lust so every morning goats are sacrifices on the alter of the temple.

The temple is busy through out the year and is surrounded by poor who come to have free meal. This is one of the most sacred places where every year several millions of devotees come to offer Puja. Tarapith is regarded as Mahapeeth and extremely holy place for all Hindus. It is said that wherever you are in this beautiful world, whatever be you and your religion, the kindness and blessings of Maa Tara will reach you to fulfil your desires, if you are an honest and upright person. She will provide you relief from pain if any your heart and mind. This is the reason for which every year millions of devotees gathers at this place to offer Puja and prayer.

The shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is one of the most visited pilgrim sites in India. Situated at a height of 5, 300 ft., the site is located inside a cave in a hill. One of the most visited pilgrim sites in India, the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is located in a cave, amidst the folds of the Trikuta Bhagwati hill at a height of 5, 300 ft., in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J & K).

The temple of Vaishno Devi is dedicated to Vaishnavi, the human manifestation of Goddess Shakti. Within the temple is the deity in the form of a five and half feet tall rock with three Pindies or heads. It is written that the goddess to achieve her destiny of finally merging with Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a human and was born as Vaishnavi, in the household of one Ratnakar.

The holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi is nestled in a beautiful recess of the Trikuta Mountains forming a part of the lower Himalayas. It is located 61 km north of Jammu at a height of 5,200 feet above the sea level in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In the cave there are images of three deities viz. the Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati.