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(Tara Tarini) Sthana Khanda near Berhampur, Odisha,
Tara Tarini Temple is one of the Adi Sakthi Peethas
Tara Tarini Sthana Peeth is situated on the holy Taratarini hill (Purnagiri) at a distance of 30 km from Berhampur in the state of Orissa, India. The Twin Goddesses Tara and Tarini are worshiped as manifestations of Adi Shakti. The Taratarini Hill Shrine is one of the oldest pilgrimage centers of Mother Goddess and is one amongst four major ancient Shakti Peethas in India.
The History of Tara Tarini Hill Shrine:
According to mythological texts and folklore this Shrine has seen all the greatest icons of the human civilization like Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Lord Parasuram, the Pandavas and great saints like Jagadguru Sankaracharya, Shri Chaitanya and Balayogi Neelakanthi. It has also been the confluence ground of plethora of ancient religions like the Vedic religion, the Brahminical religion, the Hinduism, the Buddhism, the Tantricism etc. Unquestionably, these facts from the mythology demonstrate the historicity and importance of the Hill Shrine it occupied in the past.
Further, the presence of the mythological pious river Rushikulya or Rushikalyani (known as the elder sister of the Ganges in the Vedas) on the foothill of the Shrine has further enhanced the significance of the Tara Tarini Shakti Dham which is also known as Kalyani Dham.
According to the mythological Puranas the origin of Maa Tara Tarini is directly attributed to Daksha Prajapati's Jagna in Satya Yuga. The famous Shakta Peethas of Bimala, Tara-Tarini, Dakshina Kalika, and Kamakshi originated from the limbs of the divine Corpse of Devi Sati. Mythological sacred texts like the Shiva Purana, the Kalika Purana, the Devi Bhagabat (a contemporary text of the Mahabharata written by Shri Vyasa Dev around 6000 years ago) attested this fact. It is known from the Mahabharata that before the commencement of the Mahabharata war Lord Srikrishna had advised Arjuna to offer prayer for victory at Shridevi Kupa or Bhadrakali. Bhadrakali originated from the limbs of Mata Sati like the other four major Shakti Peethas, existed during the time of the Mahabharata or around 6000 years ago.
This is the oldest data/ information we get till date, regarding the existence of the Shrines originating from the limbs of Mata Sati.
Tara Tarini as daughters of Basu Praharaj It is known from available sources that until 17[SUP]th[/SUP] century or till the time of Basu Praharaj, this place was out of the sight of the common men and people at that time generally preferred the worship of the entire as Sthana Peetha from a distance. According to a folk story once Maa Taratarini appeared as two sisters in the house of Shri Basu Praharaj. Basu Praharaj was a learned Brahmin of Kharida Vira Jagannathpur village near Purushottampur in Ganjam District, Odisha and one of the great devotees of the Mother Goddess, but he was childless. After staying for some years at the house of Basu Praharaj as his daughters once both the sisters disappeared suddenly from the house of Basu Praharaj. According to the account of the villagers, both the sisters travelled up to the Tarini Parvat/ Ratnagiri/Kumari Parvat and disappeared there. Basu Praharaj searched for the two sisters for some time but did not find any trace of them. His heart broke down with grief and pain. One night, he saw a dream in which the Goddesses Tara and Tarini informed Basu Praharaj that they were actually not his daughters. Instead, they were the Adi Shakti, Goddesses Tara and Tarini. The Goddesses ordered Basu to come out of his grief. They said that, “The time had arrived, with full devotion; you renovate the Shakti Peetha on the Hill Top of Tarini Parvat and reestablish the deities Tara Tarini according to the Vedic tradition”. After that divine direction, Basu climbed the inaccessible holy mountain and discovered the tracings of the ancient most presence of Goddesses Tara Tarini on the sacred Hill Top and immediately took steps to reconstruct the temple and the Shrine. Legend says during the time of Basu Praharaj he established the of on Tarini Parvat and also established the adjacent to Tara Tarini temple in the same mountain. Since that time, with its magnetism and sanctity, this Sthana Peetha (Breast Shrine) of Mata Sati became a centre of faith and reverence for countless numbers of people, who are in search of peace, tranquility, guidance and spiritual energy. The temple's fame spread like wild fire and it became one of the popular religious destinations for countless devotees. Taratarini Hill Shrine or Kalyan Dham attracts the highest number of devotees and visitors after in Odisha. Devotees believe that one must have the darshan of this ancient most Shakti Dham at least once in their lifetime.
Hair Offerings during Chaitra Mela
Shakti Peethas
ODISHA PRIDE WECOMES YOU
Tara Tarini Temple is one of the Adi Sakthi Peethas
Tara Tarini Sthana Peeth is situated on the holy Taratarini hill (Purnagiri) at a distance of 30 km from Berhampur in the state of Orissa, India. The Twin Goddesses Tara and Tarini are worshiped as manifestations of Adi Shakti. The Taratarini Hill Shrine is one of the oldest pilgrimage centers of Mother Goddess and is one amongst four major ancient Shakti Peethas in India.
The History of Tara Tarini Hill Shrine:
Further, the presence of the mythological pious river Rushikulya or Rushikalyani (known as the elder sister of the Ganges in the Vedas) on the foothill of the Shrine has further enhanced the significance of the Tara Tarini Shakti Dham which is also known as Kalyani Dham.
According to the mythological Puranas the origin of Maa Tara Tarini is directly attributed to Daksha Prajapati's Jagna in Satya Yuga. The famous Shakta Peethas of Bimala, Tara-Tarini, Dakshina Kalika, and Kamakshi originated from the limbs of the divine Corpse of Devi Sati. Mythological sacred texts like the Shiva Purana, the Kalika Purana, the Devi Bhagabat (a contemporary text of the Mahabharata written by Shri Vyasa Dev around 6000 years ago) attested this fact. It is known from the Mahabharata that before the commencement of the Mahabharata war Lord Srikrishna had advised Arjuna to offer prayer for victory at Shridevi Kupa or Bhadrakali. Bhadrakali originated from the limbs of Mata Sati like the other four major Shakti Peethas, existed during the time of the Mahabharata or around 6000 years ago.
This is the oldest data/ information we get till date, regarding the existence of the Shrines originating from the limbs of Mata Sati.
Tara Tarini as daughters of Basu Praharaj It is known from available sources that until 17[SUP]th[/SUP] century or till the time of Basu Praharaj, this place was out of the sight of the common men and people at that time generally preferred the worship of the entire as Sthana Peetha from a distance. According to a folk story once Maa Taratarini appeared as two sisters in the house of Shri Basu Praharaj. Basu Praharaj was a learned Brahmin of Kharida Vira Jagannathpur village near Purushottampur in Ganjam District, Odisha and one of the great devotees of the Mother Goddess, but he was childless. After staying for some years at the house of Basu Praharaj as his daughters once both the sisters disappeared suddenly from the house of Basu Praharaj. According to the account of the villagers, both the sisters travelled up to the Tarini Parvat/ Ratnagiri/Kumari Parvat and disappeared there. Basu Praharaj searched for the two sisters for some time but did not find any trace of them. His heart broke down with grief and pain. One night, he saw a dream in which the Goddesses Tara and Tarini informed Basu Praharaj that they were actually not his daughters. Instead, they were the Adi Shakti, Goddesses Tara and Tarini. The Goddesses ordered Basu to come out of his grief. They said that, “The time had arrived, with full devotion; you renovate the Shakti Peetha on the Hill Top of Tarini Parvat and reestablish the deities Tara Tarini according to the Vedic tradition”. After that divine direction, Basu climbed the inaccessible holy mountain and discovered the tracings of the ancient most presence of Goddesses Tara Tarini on the sacred Hill Top and immediately took steps to reconstruct the temple and the Shrine. Legend says during the time of Basu Praharaj he established the of on Tarini Parvat and also established the adjacent to Tara Tarini temple in the same mountain. Since that time, with its magnetism and sanctity, this Sthana Peetha (Breast Shrine) of Mata Sati became a centre of faith and reverence for countless numbers of people, who are in search of peace, tranquility, guidance and spiritual energy. The temple's fame spread like wild fire and it became one of the popular religious destinations for countless devotees. Taratarini Hill Shrine or Kalyan Dham attracts the highest number of devotees and visitors after in Odisha. Devotees believe that one must have the darshan of this ancient most Shakti Dham at least once in their lifetime.
Hair Offerings during Chaitra Mela
- Devotees come to to offer the first bunch of Hair of the newborn babies with the believe that Goddesses Tara Tarini will protect the newborns from all evils and ensure their well-being. On normal days the temple barber conducts the tonsuring of the children. Special arrangements for hair offering are made during the Tuesday festivals. The temple administration arrainging all equipments necessary for tonsuring. Around 1000 barbers at the barber-shed on hill top and on the foot hill are engaged to help the hair offering of children and other devotees. Hair offering continues from the early morning till 6 PM of Chaitra Tuesdays.
Shakti Peethas
ODISHA PRIDE WECOMES YOU
