Private Guided Tour of Tarapith

Tarapith is a sacred and spiritual village situated in Birbhum district, West Bengal. It is much-admired for its tantric temple and adjacent cremation ground where saints have been performing tantric rituals called sadhana. The Tantric Hindu temple is dedicated to the goddess Tara, a formidable tantric aspect of Devi, the chief temples of Shaktism. Tarapith has marked its characteristic as the chief of temples where Shaktism is worshipped. There are mythological tales on Tarapith. The eyeball (Tara) of goddess Sati fell on this village and it was named Tarapith. According to another section of mythologists, Tarapith is not a pith but the place is indebted to holiness as one of the legendary sagas Basistha worshipped the goddess Tara in the form of Tara. The goddess Tara is a form of Kali with two hands, garlanded with snakes and adorned in sacred threads. It takes around five hours by car to reach Tarapith from Kolkata.

Major Attractions

Tarapith Temple

The Tara temple in Tarapith is a medium-sized temple. Its reputation as a pilgrimage center with the deity of Tara preserved in it. The temple was constructed in 1255. Its base is thick with solid walls, built of red brick. The superstructure has covered passages with many arches. It touches the pinnacle with a spire. The main temple might be medium-sized but constructed of marble and terra cotta. The gigantic doors coming in the way to main place of worship have carved and are constructed of imprinted metal with highly exquisite designs of several religious symbols. The image of the deity is preserved under the roof space in the sanctum. The blood sacrifice of goats is a daily norm in the temple. Devotees who offer such goat sacrifices seek blessings from the deity.

Tarapith Maha Sasan

Tarapith Maha Sasan is a propitious place adjoining to the Tarapith temple. It is famous for tantric rituals. This is a place where many saints reside in this cremation ground permanently ad perform their meditation and tantric rituals. It is said that third eye of Sati had fallen here and it is often said that while performing sadhana the saints smell out the reflection of supernatural and extra-ordinary power.

Bamakhepa Temple

Sri Bamdev Smriti, a pink-colored temple dedicated to saint Bamakhyapa, the legendary tantric with divine craziness for goddess Tara. There is a tomb and a samadhi right outside the temple and people often tender prayers and offerings in the name of the saint.

Bamakhyapa

A saint, held in great admiration in Tarapith was Sadhak Bamakhyapa, popularly known as ‘mad saint’. He was a contemporary of another legendary Bengali saint Ramkrishna. Born in 1837, Bamakhyapa left his house at a young age and started performing tantric sadhana under the guidance of saint Kailspathi Baba who lived in Tarapith. Bamakhyapa settled there. He transcended in yoga and tantric sadhana and became the spiritual head of Tarapith. He lived near the temple and meditated, sitting on the cremation ground. The ardent devotee of goddess Tara, Bamakhyapa died in 1911 and his shrine is located within the vicinity of the Tara temple.