Sugandha Shakti Peeth is among the 51 Shakti Peeth of Maa Sati. It is said that, the nose of Maa Sati fell here, when lord Vishnu in order to relieve lord Shiva from grief of losing his wife Sati, used his ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ to incise Maa Sati Body. Then, at the place of fall of nose, this temple was constructed.
Sugandha Shakti Peeth is located in Bangladesh and lies under governance of the Barisal city. Actually this Shakti Peeth is situated in a town known as Shikarpur. So this is located in remote area, but connectivity to this place is all right.
One of the best things about the location of this temple is the presence of river Sunanda near to it. And presence of this river impacts the overall appearance of this temple. The falling of shadow of temple over the river water, when sun is rising from horizon is impeccable experience for the visitors. Here the idol of Maa Sati is called as ‘Sunanada’ and the lord Shiva is worshipped as ‘Traimbak’.
The whole complex of the temple is made of stone, with images and statues of gods engraved on to it. The sculptures presents are mesmerizing looks of the temple to the visitors. Shine of the marble fitted on to it and its reflection on the water of the river is surely one thing that people do not want to miss out here.
As you don’t have zillion means of reaching the temple, nearest railway station to your destination is Jalkati Railway station. From there it is a 5 mile journey towards this temple. Just near to the Sugandha Devi temple, visitors can also go for another famous temple known as the Vairab Trymbak which is said to be built around the times when this temple was constructed.
History of Sugandha Shakti Peeth
There is no exact information available about the construction or establishment of this temple. But surely this temple was constructed in very olden times, because of the whole appearance of the temple comes very ancient. But people visiting this temple will surely find from local people about the existence of this temple and information related to its origin.
Festivals in Sugandha Temple
One famous festival that is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion is the ‘Shiva Chaturdashi’ and this is celebrated in the month of March. The whole ambience of temple during this festival is mesmerizing to see and people all over the country come here to celebrate this auspicious occasion. Apart from this festival, Navaratri are also celebrated with same energy and devotion. Special ceremonies and rituals are carried during these days.
Where to stay
There is no scarcity of rest places or hotel in the vicinity of temple. As Barisal is a big city near to this place, people generally prefer to come from this city and go back for their accommodation because it just a 4 to 5 hour journey from Barisal to Shakti Peeth. The rates of hotels are pretty decent and good. Foreign as well as domestic tourists are advised not to fall in the trap of people who promise you to get you in to a very reasonable place with all facilities.
Shopping around Sugandha Temple
If you want to have something which will be your souvenir for your journey, then you can buy whole lot of items from the shops near to the city or temple. Traditional cloths that are part of dress up of this region can also be bought by the travelers. Special cuisines that are available in this part only can also be tried like white Rasgollas etc. Tourists are advised to bargain for the amount because the shopkeepers at initial level demands high price for items you want to buy.
How to Reach the Sugandha Temple
First of all, people going from India need to get the visa from this pilgrimage journey. Since Sugandha Devi temple is located near to Barisal city, it is well connected by all three modes of transport. From Barisal several local transports ply towards this region and it is easier to reach because of the presence of Highway near to it.
For Indian travelers, Bangladesh is pretty near to the West Bengal, so after taking visa for pilgrimage or travel, people can contact to several travel agents. They can arrange any means of transportation like air, sea or by road also. For international passengers, there is an international airport at the Barisal city. Do prior booking of the seats for having a comfortable journey to your destination.