Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Yesterday, on auspicious occasion of 'Shukla Chaturdashi', special puja of Tara Ma was performed by the 'sebaits' of Devi Mauliksha at Kabichandrapur near Tarapith beside river Dwarka. Thousands of devotees observed the puja. On this day, 'sebaits' of Ma Tara bring the idol of Tara Ma on Biram Mancha at the said place and turned the face of Tara Ma towards village Maluti of Jharkhand /> A story is behind this event. It says that, Tara Ma and Devi Mauliksha of Maluti are two sisters. In the year 1701, the Rani of Natore and other priests performed puja of Tara Ma on this 'Biram Mancha' keeping the face of Tara Ma eastward. The Raja of Maluti - Rakharchandra sat to perform puja of Tara Ma there. By seeing this, annoyed priests forcefully stopped the Raja.   /> Resentment grew within the mind of Raja towards  Tara Ma for this untoward incident happened to him. He loitered and came to the west bank of river Dwarka at village Kabichandrapur near

Jagannath Roy came to Mallarpur near Tarapith from Benaras for commerce by riverways about 200 years ago. Later, he became the Diwan of Malla Raja of Bishnupur. He bought some Taluks around Mallarpur and became famous as zaminder. About 200 years ago, he constructed the temple of Ma Tara at Tarapith as Bamakhyapa's wish for the third time. It is the present form of temple as we can see. At that time, Jagannath also founded the holy temple of Devi Durga as 'Abhaya Kumari' at Mallarpur getting 'swapna adesh'. Devi Durga has two hands here just like devi Annapurna of Kashi. Devi Durga is worshipped here daily. Earlier clay idol was there but now a marble image of Devi Durga has been also made here.  A marble idol of Lord Shiva is also there in the temple. The Roy family still send 'Nitya Seva' to Ma Tara daily at Tarapith. All the members of family come during Durga Puja and enjoy the festival in their family. Puja begins here from 'Chaturthi'. Earli

This year, 7 September (21 Bhadra, in Bengali) is the day of Koushiki Amabasya Puja. The Amabasya will stay from 7:07 am on 7 September to 6:36 am next day, i.e. 8 September. It says that, on this day, Bamdeb of Tarapith achieved 'siddhi' sitting under the 'shwet shimul' tree (শ্বেত শিমূল) at 'মহাশ্মশান' and since then it is called Koushiki Amabasya to commemorate the achievement of Bama khyapa (বামাখ্যাপা)। বিশেষ এই তিথিতে তারাপীঠে মায়ের বিশেষ পুজোর আয়োজন হয়। এদিন অমাবস্যা তিথি শুরু হলেই মায়ের রাজবেশ সহকারে রাতে মায়ের পুজো করা হয়।  পুরাণে কথিত আছে, অসুরের অত্যাচার থেকে উদ্ধারের জন্য স্বর্গের দেবতারা মহামায়ার তপস্যা শুরু করেন। আরাধনায় সন্তুষ্ট হয়ে মহামায়া দেবী মানস সরোবরের জলে স্নান করে কালো রং ত্যাগ করে কৃষ্ণবর্ণা দেবী কৌশিকীর রূপ ধারণ করেন। সেই রূপেই দেবী শুম্ভ নিশুম্ভ নামের দুই অসুরকে বধ করে দেবতাদের রক্ষা করেন এই তিথিতেই। সেই থেকেই পাপের বিনাশ করার জন্য তারাপীঠ সহ নানান পীঠস্থানে কৌশিকী রূপে পুজো করা হয়, মা কে। On this day, a special puja is performed at