Tonti Jharna, Tuti Jharna Temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

Toti Jharna temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

Introduction
           Tuti Jharna is a very old Shiva temple in the district of Ramgarh in Jharkhand, India. Though it is not as famous as Chhinnamastika Temple it will get popularity very soon. Development of the temple is being taken up by the government. A unique feature of this temple is that a stream of water continuously flows down over a Shivalinga throughout the year. The temple is situated on a slope in the Bharech Nagar area of the Ramgarh town.

Shivalinga and the natural stream of water
at Tuti Jharna temple, Ramgarh

The small temple is very old and built in Bengal architecture. The floor of the temple is about two and a half feet down from the entrance level. Unlike other Shiva temples where the Linga is in the middle of the Garbh Grih (Sanctum Sanctorum), here the Shivalinga is in a corner. The level of the platform of the Shivalinga is about one foot deeper than the floor level. Over the water stream, Vishnu statue is made on the wall and the stream water comes out from the Nabhi (Naval) of the Vishnu through a pipe and falls over the Shivalinga. In the local language, the small pipe is called a "Tonti" hence it was called the "Tonti Jharna Mandir". Jharna means a stream of water. During the period of time, the "Tonti Jharna Mandir" was popularly being called "Tuti Jharna Mandir". This stream here is called "Patal Ganga" which means a sacred river coming out of "Patal" (A mythological world situated below the ground).

A panoramic view of the Tuti Jharna Temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

Area around
          After flowing over the Shivalinga the water gets out through the outlet in the adjacent wall. This water accumulates in a hilly Nala beside the temple which has a check dam. Thus it serves as a pond which is desirable near a temple. People either take a bath in it or take water (Jalam) to offer to Shiva.

Our Trip

Small Kali temple at Tuti Jharna campus
 at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

           When we reached here on the day of Christmas after a drive of one hour, it was about 11:00 AM and the temple was empty. Only two families of devotees were there. In the front, there was a small shop of Puja flowers and Prasada. On the right was a small Kali temple and its grill gate was locked. To reach the temple area we had to descend about 15 feet through the steps. In front of the temple are many Idols of Nandi kept in a steel cage like temple. On both sides of the entrance gate, there are idols of Ganesha and Hanuman on the wall. But these were also kept in safety under steel grills. Inside the temple, the continuous water was falling over Shivalinga on the down platform. Above the outlet, there was an idol of Ma Parvati on the wall. We performed Puja there.

Shivalinga enclosed with heavy iron
grills at Toti Jharna Temple,
Ramgarh, Jharkhand

         The disappointing thing was that the down platform on which the Shivalinga is placed is enclosed in heavy iron grills and we could not touch it. It could be seen only from the top. We had brought Gangajal and we offered it and the flowers from the top. Even the Vishnu idol from which the stream was coming out was covered in iron grills. When we asked the Punditji there he said that the enclosure iron grill was for the safety of devotees. A Nag snake resides in a hole around the down platform and it occasionally comes out near the Shivalinga. Hence the enclosure. In Hindu mythology, Shiva is fond of snakes and He always keeps the king of snakes Basuki around his neck. So he is also called Baba Basukinath. There is a famous Baba Basukinath temple at Jarmundi, Dumka, Jharkhand.

The pond near the Tuti Jharna temple
at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

           The area around the temple is peaceful. There is an old and big Peepal tree in the campus. A big Champa flower tree is also near the temple which is on the upper level.

Nandi idols at Tuti Jharna Temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

Location and Direction

Google Maps - Ranchi airport to Tuti Jharna Temple

The location of the temple is in Bharech Nagar which is the northern part of the Ramgarh town. When coming from Ranchi or from Hazaribagh, it is better to enter the town from the Hazaribagh end. If coming from Ranchi cover the whole Ramgarh bypass road and take a U-turn to enter the city. From this point, the welcome gate is about two km. From the welcome gate, the temple is about at one and a half kilometer distance. The distance from Ranchi airport to the temple is about 62 km.

The Stream - from the science point of view

A natural underground stream from the science point of view

Such streams are seen in the areas where the underground water-bearing layer is in a saucer shape. Above this layer, the clayey soil does not permit the water below it to permeate through it. So pressure builds in the water at the lower level just like a water-filled pipe in a U-shape. If at a point this water seeks a weak path above it, the water comes out as a stream. The Punditji also said that there are some hand pumps near in which the water continuously comes out without any effort. As in school physics, such type of tube wells is called Archimedes well.
           Thus a visit to this temple is not only important from a religious angle but it is also beneficial for school students to understand the functioning of such natural phenomenon and have a live demo.

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ISKCON Temple and The Birla Temple at Kolkata

The Birla Temple at Kolkata

         It was the near end of the Hindu month of Sawan when I was with my family at Kolkata but there was no rain for two days (for which Sawan is known), cloudy sky but a hot day. It was around 1:00 PM when we had the spare time for rest of the day. We decided to visit some places in Kolkata. Since at our last trip we had visited Kali Temple at Kalighat, Dakshineshwar Kali Mandir and Belur Math it was finalized that we will go to the famous Birla Mandir and the ISKON temple.  I tried to book an Ola cab but it showed about 18 minutes away from our New Town area hotel. The hotel staff suggested walking up to the main road (which is called Biswa Bangla Sarani) from where all types of communication were available. It was a 200 m walk and we walked up there in the hot day. Just when we reached there we saw a yellow cab. It came to my mind that some people call it a part of Kolkata's culture so why not take a ride in it. When we moved into it we realized that it was a mistake. It was even hotter inside because they do not have A/C. The old Ambassador car was lacking in cleanliness. Anyways we bore and reached Birla Mandir at about 1:50 PM. Then we realized another mistake of not checking the Temple timings. The temple was closed and was to reopen at 4:30 PM. We had still more than two and a half hours to spend. After a search on the Google map, we found that there was an eating place nearby and it was Haldiram's Food City. It was at a walkable distance. We saw that it was a big building. On the ground and the first floor, there were food courts. We decided to take lunch but for that, we needed a restaurant which was on the 2nd floor named Teekha. It was a good place with a big hall. After seeing the menu we decided to take "Thali" with a number of items in it. They took some time to serve our "Thalis" and we took our time to finish it. Even after we finished our lunch we had more than one and a half hour to spend. So we decided to visit ISKCON first. 

ISKCON temple Darshan at Kolkata

        When we reached ISKCON, Kolkata we found that it did not look like a usual temple. It was in a general building with a door on the right when you face it. Most of the front was used for ISKCON's sweetshop and restaurant. There was some open space in front of the sweetshop. On the right, there was a fireplace with a lot of wood stacked. 

The Sweet Shop at ISKCON, Kolkata

I asked the guard near the entrance if it was the main entrance and he replied with affirmation. He asked us to put off the shoes at the nearby shoe-stand on the footpath. We did so and entered the temple. The door opened into a corridor. Through it, we reached a staircase which took us to the reception on the first floor. On the right is the entrance gate to the hall of the Radha-Govind temple. On both sides of the entrance gate, there are two life-size statues of gatekeepers (Guards) of Baikunth (Vishnu's Lok) whose names are Jai and Vijay. 

Fireplace near the Sweet Shop
ISKCON, Kolkata

The life-size statue of one of the gatekeepers of Baikunth,
whose name is Jai. 

      At that time this gate was closed and we entered the temple hall through another gate behind the reception. Devotees were sitting on the floor waiting for the curtain to be removed and the Darshan of the Radha-Govind be available. We too sat on the floor. About ten women were making garlands for the God in the hall. Ten minutes later the curtain slid and we got darshans of Radha-Govind and Jagannath Ji (Krishna, Subhadra and Balram statues like in Jagannathpuri).

Devotees making flower garlands at ISKCON, Kolkata
and the statue of Srila Prabhupada

           A priest worshipped with incense sticks and flowers & Tulsi. then fanned with a "Chanwar" and blew a conch shell (Shankh). Tulsi and flowers were placed nearby to be taken by the devotees. Taking pictures were allowed and devotees snapped pics of beautiful statues. On the opposite of the statues, there is a statue of Swami Prabhupada the founder of the society. The ISKCON, Kolkata temple is not as gorgeous as at Ahamadabad but the statues and ambiance are great. It is also important because it is the birthplace of Srila Prabhupada.

         (ISKON Tulsi mala at Amazon ISKON books at Amazon)

    (Flipkart - Beautiful Religious Idols - Religious & Festive Decor)

The entrance gate of Birla Mandir, Kolkata

         After the Darshan, we took the taxi to Birla Temple. When we reached there it was 4:40 PM and the temple was open. We took pictures from the main gate but the guards asked us to switch off the mobiles and cameras when inside because taking pictures are not allowed. I do not understand this prohibition but we followed the rules. There is a shoe-stand on the right. The temple is great. Good and clean campus and a marvelous main temple building which is quite attractive. The main temple has three Sanctum Sanctorum and three "Shikhar". The middle one is the highest. It has Radha-Krishna statues. When you enter the temple here is the first Darshan. On the left is Goddess Durga and Shivalinga on the right temple. These three are on the same platform but in separate rooms. In the entrance hall is a big chandelier which is eye-catching. There were priests in each room who gave "Prasadam" (White Mukund-dana) to devotees. Guards or Sevadars keep eyes on the people. After the Darshan, we came down to the open campus. On the right side of the campus, there were idols depicting scenes from Krishna-Leela. One scene had a moving Vasudeva (Krishna's father) from the Jail of Kansa to Gokul through Yamuna river with newborn Krishna in a basket over his head. Another scene was the "Makhan-Chori" (The theft of butter by Krishna and his friends). Butters was made of cotton. There was Jhoolan scene by Krishna and Gopees in a hut nearby.

Just behind this tree is the entrance gate of ISKCON, Kolkata

      Near these huts and at the right front corner there is a small Ganesha Temple. In the same style and size, there is a Mahavir temple at the front left corner. Near this temple and along the left side of the campus ten avatars idols of Vishnu (including the Kalki avatar) are placed. And finally, in a hut near the main temple, the Samudra-Manthan scene is depicted with the moving snake. Now we saw everything and sat near the temple but the weather changed and a drizzle started. So we decided to return back. When we were getting out of the main entrance the Sevadars asked for some money for themselves. While I was collecting our shoes, my wife gave them some money. On the road, we got into the Ola cab and returned back to the hotel room. It was evening and the temperature was mild now. After a hot day, it was a soothing evening.

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Belur Math, Howrah !

Continued from the blog Dakshineshwar Kali Mandir, Kolkata! 

Belur Math, Howrah, W.B.

                When we reached near the Ferry Ghat (Named as Ma Bhabotarini Jetty Ghat) near the Dakshineshwar Kali Mandir, Kolkata!  we saw a ferry at the dock. We were going on the approach normally, enjoying and seeing around us and taking pictures. There is a bridge just beside it named Vivekanand Setu. Actually, there are two bridges side by side. It is the bridge for both road and railway. As we were walking towards the ferry slowly it began to give horn and someone said: "You should hurry up, that ferry is about to leave and just asking to come quickly". So we quickly walked towards it and got on to it. Soon it left the ghat and journey towards Belur Math began. The ferry ride was quite enjoying. We people residing far away from the coastal areas have rare opportunity to have a journey on waterways and when we get it, it feels too mesmerizing to explain. You can see small plants like water hyacinth floating with the current. And sometimes a bird will sit over it looking into the water for some food. As the ferry got farther from the ghat, the panoramic view of Dakshineshwar Kali Mandir, Kolkata!  looks so beautiful. We passed under the Vivekanand Setu. Took pictures of the temple and Setu. Everyone in the family was happy in this ferry journey. About three km downstream from the Dakshineswar Ghat on the opposite bank is the Belur Math ferry ghat. As the ferry neared the ghat we got a glimpse of attractive Math building. From the Ghat we proceeded in the lanes following the other people who knew the road to the Math. We found that we reached the side gate of the Math Campus. But the gate was closed and a few people were waiting outside. When our crowd of ferry reached there, it was jam-packed. We got to know that it was the lunchtime and we will have to wait for about 45 minutes. There was no place for sitting and passing this time was torturous. Most people sat on the ground on the roadsides near the gate and talked. So did us. 

The Two Bridges, New and the Old- Vivekanand Setu
When our ferry passed under them

              Anyhow the time passed and the gate opened. We entered the campus and what a lovely campus it was! The early January was a season of flowers and the well-nurtured flowers were abundant in the campus that added to the beauty of the campus. Near this gate were some small temples clean and beautiful. We were busy in taking pictures. Since the campus is situated on the bank of Hooghly river, a bathing ghat has been made near these temples. Sitting on the steps of this ghat and gazing the river gives a lot of happiness.  

The Belur Math Ghat, as seen from the Ferry

        From the Ghat we went to the main building. The Architecture and the color of this majestic building are awesome. The flower gardens in the front and on the sides were full of lovely flowers and added to its beauty. Tourists were busy taking pictures. We entered the main building. There is a big hall in which you can sit and be in Dhyana. It is a place where one can rise on the path of spirituality.

Flowers at Belur Math, Howrah

              The Belur Math is the headquarter of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. It was set up by Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and organized by Swami Vivekanand. This temple is the center of the Ramakrishna movement. Its architecture is the fusion of Hindu, Christian and Islamic motif. Thus signifying the unity of religions. It is spread in about 40 acres of land at the banks of River Hooghly. The temples are dedicated to Ramakrishna, Sharda Devi and Vivekananda. 

                 It was meant to train young men to become Sanyasis and serve society.  

Other Temples in the Campus of Belur Math, Howrah 

The Ramakrishna Mission is involved in various social activities. Many educational institutions are affiliated to it. It provides Medical services, work for women, rural uplift and work among backward classes. Belur Math has its own website which address is below:-  

https://belurmath.org/

(Amazon: Belur Math Books - Books on Belur Tirthyatra)

          

The Belur Math- Like a dream Palace

      It is one of the major tourist attractions in Kolkata. It is also the top pilgrimage for the followers and devotees. Its location, campus, buildings, beauty and good management make it a place worth visiting many times. There is a facility of drinking water and washrooms in the campus. 

A picture taken on the ferry while going to Belur Math, Howrah

                From the morning we visited Dakshineshwar Kali Mandir, Kolkata! and Belur Math, Howrah. It was about 4:30 PM. We were tired now and need some rest. So decided to return. We exited from the main gate and decided to take a taxi to our hotel in Kolkata. The approach from the main road to the main gate is wide and on both sides stand many tall trees. Many pieces of information are given on the boards here.

A Bagula sitting on the floating Water Hyacinth plant waiting for food.
It just passed by on the side of the ferry on the way to the Belur Math.

       We dragged our feet to come to the main road. Get into the taxi and returned to the hotel with a lot of peace and happiness in our mind.

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Amreshwardham, Angrabadi - A Shiva Temple near Ranchi

The self-appeared Amreshwara Shivalinga
at Angrabadi, Khunti, Jharkhand

             The Amreshwardham Temple is situated in the Khunti district of Jharkhand in the neighborhood of Ranchi district. Earlier it was known as Angrabadi Temple due to the name of the village near which it is situated. The Shivalinga here is situated under a Banyan Tree. It is said that the Shivalinga had appeared here by itself hundreds of year ago. Now a round-temple has been constructed around the Shivalinga but there is not a concrete roof over it. It is said that whenever it was tried to make a permanent roof, Shiva came in the dreams of local people and forbid it. Since the Banyan Tree has grown a big one and it is a habitat of many birds, to protect the devotees from bird-droppings a wire mesh has been placed as a roof and it is partly covered with transparent green fiber sheets around the trunk.

Maa Durga & Hanuman Temples and Yagyashala at Amreshwar Dham, Khunti, Jharkhand

             I had been here many times before and liked the place much. So when this Sunday our family planned for a devotional outing, I chose Amreshwardham mainly for the peaceful environment here. On Sunday, there is a heavy rush in the temples in the Ranchi town, like Pahari Mandir, Sri Jagannath Temple, and Venkateshwara Temple. And even out of Ranchi, the famous Deuri Mandir and the Chhinnamastika Temple attracts a crowd of devotees like a Mela. The Bhadrakali Temple of Itkhori and Maa Nagar Bhagawati Temples are a bit far away. Hence we decided to visit Amreshwardham.

             The place is situated on Ranchi-Khunti-Simdega road at about 50 km from Ranchi. We could leave our house after 09:30 AM. From Kutchery we took the Harmu bypass road to reach Dhurwa and Project Building and this road meets the Ranchi-Khunti road near a place called Hatia. The Ranchi-Khunti road is a National Highway. The road condition is very good. At a roundabout in Khunti, the right turn takes us to Khunti-Simdega road. From here ten kilometers ahead on the right side is the Shiva Temple of Amreshwardham. A welcome Gate is the landmark hear. It was 11:00 AM when we were in the temple. Now there are many temples here and the facilities have improved. We worshiped Baba Amreshwar. The Shivalinga is now covered with a sheet of brass and a railing is made around it. This temple is also very important for local Tribal people.

I remember a visit here when many such devotees called "Bhagatiya" were offering their Puja by rolling their bodies on the ground around the Shivalinga and the Banyan Tree. The Parvati and Ganesha Temples are near the Shiva Temple. When you come out of the Shiva temple there are Radha-Krishna Temple, Hanuman Temple and Maa Durga Temple on the right side while Ram Darbar, Temple Management Building and the Kali temple are on the left. Near the Kali temple, a big Banyan tree and a big Peepal tree are there. Between these trees is a Hand pump in running condition. The potable and cold water machine is placed near the Kali temple. There is a board in front of Temple Management building stating the does and do nots. Also, there is a charge-list for different Sanskaras.    

The towering Maa Durga Temple at
Amreshwardham, Khunti, Jharkhand

               The Maa Durga temple is unique here. It is towering like a Minar. In 2015 I had written a review of this place on TripAdvisor and uploaded many photos including this Durga temple. The picture was fantastic and later I found some websites had copied and uploaded the same pictures without permission or giving due credit. 

           There are some Puja-Samagri shops on the main road near the Welcome Gate and one near the Radha-Krishna temple. There is a facility of ladies toilet, but you have to ask for its keys from the management committee which they give readily. After the Puja we sat under the Banyan tree near the hand pump and had Prasada. Spent some time there with the family and came back to Ranchi.

          With a vehicle in your hand, the trip will be amazing on the wide and smooth roads that pass through the hills and the Jungles of lovely Khunti District.

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Dakshineshwar Kali Mandir, Kolkata !

 

A Panoramic View of Dakshineshwar Kali Temple and Bathing Ghat from Hooghly River

                The Dakshineshwar Kali temple, Kolkata is on the banks of Hoogli River near the Vivekanand Setu. It was the first week of January when we planned to visit here from our hotel at Karunamoyee, Salt Lake area. Our hired taxi dropped us about 400 meters away from the temple at one end of a street which is its approach from the east. There are flower shops and Puja items related shops in this street. After walking through the street we reached the parking place and after that another building having flowers and puja related shops. We bought our flowers and proceeded to the temple. The temple was a high-security zone and the number of devotees in the line was more than 150. It took about half an hour to enter the courtyard of the Dakshineshwar Temple. The courtyard was big and the temple was high with nine aspiring pinnacles. We had entered from the back of the temple that is from North. We saw three lines of devotees and queued in the very first which had fewer devotees. Later we knew the reason of fewer devotees in our line when reached near the idol of Dakshineshwar Kali. In fact, two lines were for Darshan of Devi from sides while one line was for front Darshan. My mother was not satisfied with side Darshan so she again stood behind the line in front Darshan. We, the other family members ran out of patience for standing second time in the queue. So we went to the Mandap in front of the temple and had front Darshan, though from a little distance. A life-size black Kali idol with long red tongue out is placed here. She has four hands - a "Katara" in upper left hand, a "Mund" in lower left-hand, upper right hand in "Abhay Mudra" and lower right hand in "Vardan Mudra". The "Kali roop" here is known as "Bhavatarini" - The Goddess who saves Her devotes from this world of mortals. She is standing on the chest Shiva who is lying down on the ground facing the sky. The idol and the main temple faces South.

View of Dakshineshwar Kali Temple Complex from North

                 The name of this temple is associated with great Kali Devotee Ramkrishna Parmhans about whom it is famous that the Goddess had herself given Darshan and Ashish. He had spent a long time of his life here. The temple was built in the year 1855 by Rani Rasamani (रानी रसमणि) who was a devotee of Kali and a donator for good causes. It is said that she built this temple after the Goddess came in her dream and ordered her to do so, the Goddess also said that if Rani did so SHE would herself reside in the diety.

             Devotees offer flowers, bangles and "Aalta" to the Goddess. The Hibiscus flower is a favorite of Goddess. We saw a pile of these offerings removed from the temple and stacked near the platform. After the Darshan/Pujan of Kali Mata, we went to worship Parameshwar Shiva. Twelve Shiva Temples in a row along the western end of the courtyard is built. These all are connected and these twelve Shivalinga represent the twelve Jyotirlinga as described in Shivapurana. The name and place of these Jyotirlingas are expressed in Sanskrit as follows,

AA vFk }kn”kT;ksfrfyZaxkfu dF;UrsAA

Jh x.ks”kk; ue%AA

lkSjk’Vªs lkseukFka p Jh”kSys efYydktZque~ A  

mTtf;U;ka  egkdkyeksadkjeeys”oje~AA1AA  

ijY;ka oS|ukFka p MkfdU;ka Hkhe”kadje~   A  

lsrqcU/ks rq jkes”kaa ukxs”kaa  nk#dkous AA2AA  

okjk.kL;ka rq   fo”os”ka «;Ecda  xkSrehrVs A   

fgeky;s rq dsnkja ?kq”es”ka p  f”koky;sAA3AA   

,rkfu    T;ksfrfyZaxkfu     lk;a   izkr%  iBsuj% A 

lIrtUeÑra     ikia    Lej.ksu   fou”;fr  AA4AA 

-----

         On the other side of these Jyotirlingas temples, that is outside the courtyard is the "Bathing Ghat" of the Hoogly River. From here the Vivekanand Setu can be seen. 

              After the worship of Shiva and Shakti (Kali), we saw a temple on the North East side of the courtyard. There were idols of Radha and Krishna on a silver throne (सिंहासन).  We had Darshan there too. When all Darshans complete, we saw the items sold by the temple's shop below the 12-Shiva temples in the courtyard. And then sat near the steps there (It is said that after the worship a devotee should sit in the premises of the temple) and consumed prasad. 

Goddess Kali on a 'Soop'

                We came out of the temple and went to the flower shop where we had kept our Mobiles (Mobiles and cameras are not allowed inside the temple complex). Collected them and paid their bill. On the east of this shop building is the internal road, beyond which there is a market building. A number of shops sell here different types of items which are mostly Puja related. But we were first looking for the hotels that sold food because we had not taken anything from the morning due to worship and it was afternoon. On the east of the market building, we saw many Dhaba type shops that were selling rice and Paranthas. We hungry people ate there and then roamed in the market and took pictures nearby. A unique item that we saw here was the face of Goddess Kali placed in a small Soop (सूप - An article hand-woven with bamboo strips which is used in villages to separate cereals from its husk)

                      OK! Now our next visit was planned for the famous Belur Math which is on the other side of the Hooghly river i.e. on the western side and downstream. For it, we had to take the ferry at the ferry Ghat which is just south of the temple, so we walked up to there to take the ferry.

                    Journey to the Belur Muth in the next blog, soon. 

  

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Kali Temple at Kalighat, Kolkata !

Entrance Gate (Dwar) of Approach Road to Kalighat Temple

                 The Kali temple of Kalighat, Kolkata is one of the famous temples in the eastern region of India. Though the Kali temple is much older, its present structure is more than 200 years old only. The importance of this temple is due to the fact that it is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in India. It is said that the Goddess Sati's toe of right foot fell here. 

 

The entrance of
Kalighat Temple Campus

         It is situated on the banks of old course of the Hooghly River. Later the river changed its course to present one. Old course is now very thin and like a canal. Due to this Kali temple, the ghat of the river and this area became popular as Kalighat. It is one of the oldest areas of Kolkata and heavily populated. The temple is about 400 m from the main road i.e. Chourangi Road. A big Dwar is made at the entrance of this approach road. Driving through it was very difficult because on both sides of this road vendors were selling their goods and they encroached the road to make it congested. Thousands of devotees visit here daily and they are a good source of income to the vendors and people in this locality. When we reached near the temple many people came to us asking for quick darshan. These people have a team in which the shopkeeper and local pandas are included. They will say that general darshan will take more than two hours time and they can arrange it for you without standing in a queue. In fact, they get an opportunity whenever the police are busy in the arrangement of the crowd and get their devotees get direct entry near the Garbh Gruh.

 

Main Temple view of Kalighat Temple, Kolkata

       The temple is built in the Bengal style. Heavy rush of devotees fills the campus and halls in front of the Garbha Gruh. When inside the Garbh Gruh one may note that the Goddess idol is placed at somewhat down level. The striking feature of the idol is that the tongue of Kali is larger in proportion to the face. Devotees main attention is concentrated towards this tongue and its Darshan is said to be lucky. After the Darshan, the Pandas with you may take you near some pillar of the hall where they will chant some mantras and ask you for a donation for different purposes. Their demand may be around some thousand rupees. Eventually, they will settle for less. It is better to say goodbye to them as soon as possible. 

Souvenir Shop,
Kalighat Temple

               Since the worship of Goddess is complete with the worship of Shiva, there is also a Shivalaya in the Campus. After the worship, earthen Diyas are lighted as Aarti and kept at a place in the campus.

Flower Shop in
Kalighat Temple

                  Due to the crowded surroundings taxi was not available near the temple and we had to walk the way to the main road. Many flower shops and souvenir shops were located on this road. In one of such shops, they were selling items like conch shells, Shankha, Rudraksha, Shivalinga, Pictures of Gods and Goddesses, Malas etc. 
       People have much faith in Goddess Kali and this Shaktipeeth is famous in this region.

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Bhadrakali Temple, Itkhori, Chatra

  

ॐ जयंती मंगला काली भद्रकाली कपालिनी

दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोस्तुते।

भद्रकाली मंदिर, इटखोरी, झारखंड
Bhadrakali Temple, Itkhori, Chatra, Jharkhand

            The Bhadrakali Temple at Itkhori, Chatra is one of the many famous Goddess temples around Ranchi, Jharkhand. The distance of temple from Ranchi is about 150 km. On the Ranchi-Barhi National Highway, there is a place Arar from where the road to Itkhori branches out towards west. 

Place for coconut breaking

             Itkhori is situated at the confluence of two rivers named 'Mahane' and 'Baksa'. Just like the temple of 'Maa Chhinnamastika' at the confluence of river 'Damodar' and 'Bhairavi' at Rajrappa, the temple of 'Maa Nagar Bhagawati' (Goddess Ugratara) near Chandwa, Latehar and the temple of 'Maa Kauleshwari' at Hunterganj -This temple of Maa Bhadrakali has been a famous place of worship of Goddess of "Shakti" from time unknown. 

 

Main Entrance Gate (Dwar) of
Maa Bhadrakali Temple, Itkhori, Chatra
Jharkhand

            Itkhori is related to three religions- Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The name of Itkhori is related to an incident with "Gautam Buddha". It is said that once "Gautam Buddha" came here after leaving his home in search of true knowledge. While he was in his "Dhyana" his aunt (Mother's sister) came here in his search. But even then his "Dhyana" did not interrupt. The aunt said "Itt Khoi" (इत् खोई) in local language which she meant that 'Here he is lost (In Dhyana)'. On these two words "Itt Khoi", this place was called 'Itkhoi' which later changed to "Itkhori". The area is also known as Bhadauli because it is built at the banks of a river known as Bhaduli. Bhaduli is the birthplace of the tenth "Tirthankar" of Jains whose name was Shitala Swami. Some people say that Bhadauli is related to the word Bhadrakali. 

Darban Idol near Entrance Gate at
Ma Bhadrakali Temple, At Itkhori, Jharkhand

           This place is related to many tales of Hindu mythology. Ram, Laxman, and Sita had come and stayed for some time here during exile. It is also said that King Yudhisthir had also stayed here during his exile (without being discovered). So this place is related to both Ramayana and Mahabharata era.

             King Surath whose name is mentioned in "Durga Saptasati" had is capital at the hills of Kuleshwari near Hunterganj. He was defeated by a foreigner king and came here at the Ashram of Medha Rishi. At the same time, a rich businessman named Sarathi was dispossessed of all his wealth by his own family and he too came to this ashram. Both needed to know the cause of their distress. Medha Rishi told them the reason giving many examples and also told that if they want to get rid of their distress, they must pray to the Goddess Bhadrakali. Both of them went to a thick forest named Tamasin near the Mahane river and devoted themselves to prayers and penance. Maa Bhadrakali was pleased and came there to bless them. King Surath got back his desired kingdom but now the businessman Surath did not wish for his wealth but for 'moksha', that he got from the blessing of the Goddess. 

             There is another story of Maa Bhadrakali how she came in this form. There was a very powerful asura named Shankhchud who was blessed by Vishnu that no woman will kill him. When gods lost their patience over his terror, the commander of gods Kartikeya went to fight him. But Kartikeya fell to the ground by Sankhchud's attack. Seeing this the Goddess "Adishakti" took a fierce form of Bhadrakali and fought him but could not defeat him. So she began to swallow the asuras in the battlefield and in the last Shiva destroyed Sankhchud with his Trident.

                Many ancient things have been found here in the excavation. Notable among them is a pair of footwear of Jain Tirthankara Shitalnath engraved on a

Banyan Tree at
Ma Bhadrakali Temple, Itkhori,
Jharkhand

stone and also a box in which the name Shitalnath is written on a copper plate.

            There is a Stupa on which 1004 small and 4 big idols of Buddha is made.

              On the basis of the inscriptions in Brahmi like script near the feet of Maa Bhadrakali idol, it is said that it has been made during tenth to the eleventh century by the orders of King Mahendra Pal who was the king of Bengal and Magadh. 

Open Shivalaya - 
Sri Sufalnath,
Itkhori, Chatra,
Jharkhand

              Maa Bhadrakali is in the gentle form of Maa Mangala Gauri in the temple. Initially, there was an eight-handed idol of Goddess Durga beside the Bhadrakali idol but in 1968 both were stolen. Maa Bhadrakali's idol was recovered but not the other one.The Idol of Ma Bhadrakali is made of Either 'Gomed' stone or 'Ashtadhatu' and is a great quality artwork. Time has not been able to affect it.

Nandi from single rock
at Itkhori, Chatra,
Jharkhand

                             There are idols of Buddha in Dhyan Mudra at each corner of the temple campus. 417 idols were dug out from the temple campus which are kept at a museum in the campus of IB of District Board. In the present temple, there are 24 idols. Beside the main Bhadrakali idol is the idol of Vishnu. The coconuts offered to the Goddess are broken at the place marked for it behind the main building. 

Sahastra Shivalingam near
Maa Bhadrakali Temple, Itkhori,
Chatra, Jharkhand

                As the worship of goddess is complete only with the worship of Shiva, so there is an open 'Shivalaya' beside the main temple and another is on a campus which is near this campus. The Shivalingam in this temple is called "Sahastra Shivalingam" ('Sahastra' meaning a thousand in Sanskrit). There are many small Shivalingas engraved upon a big Shivalinga here. Outside near the entrance is a Nandi statue. Between these two temple campuses, there is a road to 'Sahastra Buddha Stupa'. The 'Stupa' is 15 ft high but visible only 5 ft above the ground. The peculiar fact is that it is in the shape of "Sahastra Shivalinga" with four big Buddha statues at four corners and 1004 small statues over it. 1008 is an auspicious number in Indian culture.

Sahastra Buddha at
Itkhori, Chatra,
Jharkhand

 The top of the Stupa is in a mace shape over which is a small cover which when lifted let ooze out droplets of water. 
             Near the open Shivalaya, there is a Hanuman temple. The idol of Hanuman has five heads of different creatures. Such idol is called "Panchamukhi Hanuman".   

          The stone on which the feet of 10th Jain Tirthankara are engraved is placed on the western part of the main temple. The Jains call Maa Bhadrakali as Bhadli Mata.
             Other places near the temple are "Shahi Van Pokhara" (Royal forest pond) also called "Rani Pokhar", The temple of Maa Karunamai (also called Kanuniya Mai Sthal) and Pond of Kuteshwar Sthan. "Kanuniya Mai Sthal" is a proven Tantric place.

Shilapatta at Maa Bhadrakali Temple,
Itkhori, Chatra, Jharkhand

              At present, the temple complex is also utilized for social occasions like marriage and "Mundana". The campus is green and well maintained. Many Harsingar flower trees are there on the campus. There is a good sitting place in front of the temple underneath a Banyan Tree. Near it is a hexagonal marble "Shilapatta" on which history of the temple is engraved. The main entrance gate is beautifully constructed. For parking vehicles, there are lots of space in front of the gate and shops. Reaching Itkhori is not difficult because Ranchi Barhi is National Highway. From Arar to Itkhori autos are available. But it is better to have an owned/hired vehicle than public transport. It will save time.

                Spending some time on the campus gave us a lot of peace and happiness. 

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