Maa Tara Temple, Tarapith

MA TARA

Tarapith Temple is quite renowned for being one of the few temples where ta***ic rituals of Hinduism are followed. Dedicated to Goddess Tara, a fearsome incarnation of the Divine Mother, this is the most important centre for Tantrik worship in India. It is also believed to be a Siddh Peeth where one can attain enlightenment, wisdom and supernatural powers.

Legend

Many legends surround the beginning of the temple. The reason why this is a Shaktipeeth is related to the Daksha Yagya and Sati's self immolation. One of Sati's body parts is believed to have fallen here. Another story begins with Vashishta's desire to master the Tantrik Arts. Not getting any success he visits Buddha who had a vision of Tarapith being the perfect location to worship Ma Tara. On Buddha's instructions Vashishtha came to Tarapith and worshipped the goddess by the left-handed Tantrik ritual utilizing the 5 forbidden things(Panchamakara). Ma Tara pleased with his devotion appeared before him in the form of the Divine Mother suckling Shiva to her breast and then turned to stone. Since then, the image of Ma Tara in her motherly incarnation suckling Lord Shiva is worshipped at Tarapith.

The Temple

The temple is symbolic of Shiva's destructive aspect in the form of Kali. Her bloodlust is said to be assuaged by an animal sacrifice each morning in the temple premises and the blood is offered to satisfy her. The temple is a medium-sized red bricked structure with several arches reaching up to the pinnacle with a spire. There are two images of Tara in the temple. The primordial stone image of Tara suckling Shiva to her breast is camouflaged by a 3 feet metal idol of Ma Tara in her fiery form (garland of skulls and her tongue potruding out) that the devotees usually see.

Rituals

The temple is usually crowded by the poor from the nearby villages waiting for their daily free meal. The priests adorn the goddess with a sari and vermillion on the forehead. Speck of this vermillion is put on every devotee's forehead as Ma Tara's blessing. Devotees offer food, silk sarees and sometimes bottles of whiskey to the goddess. Puja is done to bring out the peaceful motherly nature of Ma tara for the benefit of her devotees. After a ritual sacrifice, sometimes devotees smear a little blood on their forehead as a mark of respect for the goddess.

Cremation Grounds

The Tarapith Cremation ground is very integral to the Shaktipith here. It is believed that Ma Tara herself resides in these grounds, attracted to the bones and skeletons of the dead, and drinks the blood of the animal sacrifices to mitigate her anger. Tantrik practitioners regularly flock to these grounds to perform the tantrik rites. Many choose to stay here in their huts decorated with human and animal skulls, snake skins, Trishul, and other tantrik artifacts,

Bamakhepa

Tarapith is also associated with to Bamakhepa, a mad saint who had gained mastery over Yoga and Tantrik Arts, and thus was the spiritual head of Tarapith. A contemporary of Ramakrishna, Bamakhepa had spiritual powers and attended to the plights of people.

There are many ancient legends regarding this place. Consort of Lord Shiva, goddess Sati felt insulted when her father Daksha did not invite his son-in-law Lord Shiva at the grand yagna (fire sacrifice). Humiliated by the act of her father Sati ended her life by jumping into the fire. When Lord Shiva came to know about the sequence of events, anger made him wild and furious. He put the co**se of Sati in his shoulder and started Rudra Tandav. The universe started shaking and was about to get destroyed. To pacify Lord Shiva Vishnu cut the body of the Sati into pieces with his chakra (discus), the pieces fell all over the Indian subcontinent. Each place where the pieces had fallen become a Shaktipith. It is believed the third eyeball or tara had fallen in Tarapith.

Another legend depicts that the avatar of Goddess Sati, Tara took the form the mother and breastfed Lord Shiva to give him relief from intense burning pain of poison in his throat, which was drunk by Lord Shiva. The poison came out of Samudra Manthan (churning of cosmic oceans) and would have catastrophically destructed all living being. Lord Shiva drunk the poison and kept it in this throat and thus saved the living beings.
According to another legend, Vasistha one among the seven holy sage (Saptarishi) worshiped Goddess Tara by his left hand at this place with forbidden things like wine, meat and blood under the instruction of Lord Buddha to witness the Divine form of Goddess Tara.

The present temple made out of thick red brick superstructure which has covered passages and many arches which are raising to the pinnacle with a spire. The present structure was reconstructed by king of Natore after depilation of two temples which were constructed by Joy Dutta Saudagar and Jaganath Rahi respectively.

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