Taraknath Temple is located in the town of Tarakeshwar near Serampore in the Hooghly District of West Bengal. It is about 58kms from Kolkata. This is one of the oldest temples in the city and is one of the most revered temples in the region. Tarakeshwar, a form of Lord Shiva, is the presiding deity here. Thousands of devotees, from all over India, come here to seek the blessings of the deity.
Tarakeshwar Temple : Legends
Legend has it that a devotee by name Vishnu Das moved with his family from Ayodhya to the region but was viewed with suspicion by the locals. It is believed that he proved his innocence by holding in his hand a red hot iron bar. Later, his brother discovered a site in the nearby jungle, where the cows yielded milk at a particular place every day. The brothers discovered that a Shivaling (Idol of Shiva in phallic form) was present at the mentioned site. It is said that a dream is said to have revealed to them that this Shiva lingam was a manifestation of Tarakeshwar - Lord Shiva. Following this a temple was constructed at the site which came to be known as Taraknath temple.
About Tarakeshwar Temple
The temple which is greatest centre of the Shaiva sect in West Bengal was built in 1729 by Raja Bharamalla. It is constructed according to the Bengal-style aatchalla architecture with a sanctum and a 'natmandir' in front. The idol of the Lord is installed in the middle of the sanctum. The exterior of the temple is curved like a hut and has three spires over it. There is a tank to the north of the temple called Dudhpukur, where pilgrims take a dip. The water in this tank is believed to be medicated and has curative powers. Close by are the shrines of Kali and Lakshmi-Narayan.
Pilgrims visit the temple throughout the year especially on Mondays. But the highest crowd is seen during the occasions of Shivaratri and Gajan. Shivaratri takes place in Falgun month, which falls between February and March, and Gajan, is a five-day event that ends on the last day of Chaitra, in mid-April. The month that sees maximum number of devotees in the Tarakeshwar Temple is Sravana (mid-July to mid-August), which is auspicious for Lord Shiva and during this month celebrations are held on each Monday. Bengali New Year is also celebrated here with great grandeur.
How to reach Tarakeshwar temple
Tarakeshwar has a main railway station. The town is connected by suburban rail services to Serampore and Howrah. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata is the nearest airport to Tarakeshwar. It is located at a distance of 58 km from Tarakeshwar. State road transport corporation buses connect Tarakeshwar with all neighbouring cities like Kolkata, Kamarpukur, Howrah etc.