Kalyaneshwari temple is a 500-year-old Shakti worship center and one of the oldest temples of mother Kali. Located on the banks of the Barakar river, the temple falls in the Asansol Sadar subdivision of Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal. Maa Kalyaneshwari is worshipped in the form of Goddess Kali or Shakti. People believe the Goddess fulfills the wishes of devotees.
Kalyaneshwari temple is near the Bengal- Jharkhand border. Hence, people from both states regularly flock into the temple to get the blessings of the deity.
Who Built The Kalyaneshwari Temple?
Hindu king Harigupta first built the temple when he was fleeing from the Kushanas in the 3rd century AD. However, the old temple got ruined. The present temple is not very old and was later rebuilt in 1385 by the Panchkot Raj family. Panchkot Raj dynasty is presently known as the Kashipur Raj family.
In ancient times, the area was covered with dense forest. Dacoits used to worship the Goddess. They use to perform human sacrifice and offer them to Her.
Legends Behind Kalyaneshwari Temple
There is an interesting story behind the building of the temple. Once a bangle seller was passing the forest when he saw a beautiful girl sitting on a rock. She asked him for a pair of bangles. When the bangle seller asked for money, the girl directed him to the king of Kashipur.
Interestingly, the king saw a dream in which the Goddess asked him to pay the bangles price to the bangle seller.
Once he learned that his dream was a reality, the king requested the Goddess to appear before him again. That is when the Goddess showed her bangle-laden hands from within the river.
One can still get a darshan of the mother’s footprint imprints visible on the backside of the main temple.
The temple has a simple structure. Inside the temple premise, the goddess deity is placed inside a small cave, and the cave is covered with red cloth.
The Goddess had ordered the king in the dream not to open the cave and let her be in that form. From then on, nobody knows what is inside the cave. A small brass idol has been kept outside the red cave, and devotees worship that.
It is a place of Shakti worship, as legend has it that shaka(conch shell bangles) of Mother Sati fell here while Lord Shiva traveled with Sati on his shoulders.
Goddess Kalyaneshwari Fulfills The Wishes Of Childless Woman
There is famous folklore on this temple. A priest and his family used to worship the Goddess faithfully daily. As part of daily rituals, that priest always offered food in the form of Prasada to Goddess. One day the priest got delayed to perform the puja and asked his daughter to sit for a while when he could arrange the food. The deity thought of the girl as a Prasad and had her.
When the priest returned, he did not find his daughter. But was able to see the hairs of his daughter in the Goddess’s mouth. He was shocked. On this, the Goddess understood her mistake. She promised to fulfill the wishes of all her devotees, particularly those who would wish for a child. Meanwhile, she blessed the priest with another child.
From then on, there is a belief that the presiding deity fulfills the wishes of childless women.
Marriage ceremonies also happen in the temple premises.
Puja Vidhi At The Temple
The narrow road leading to the temple is lined with shops selling puja items. There are so many shops outside the temple gate where devotees can buy the necessary puja items.
On special occasions, like Amavasya(New Moon), Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday, more devotees visit the temple. So, one may have to wait in the queue for 1 -2 hours on these days. Temple is open till 7 PM. After 2 AM, the crowd subsides, and one gets a quick darshan of the Goddess.
Post darshan, devotees tie a sacred thread with a stone to a Margosa(Neem) tree in the temple premises. People believe if the devotees’ wish gets fulfilled, then the stone will fall on its own.
After the darshan of Goddess Kalyaneshwari, do not forget to do Charan Darshan.
On the backside of the main temple, there is a small temple where one can darshan the imprints of the Goddess’s footprints(Charan Darshan). There is a small stream going nearby, and the whole atmosphere will leave a calming effect on your mind.
Besides the main temple, there is a Shiva and Hanuman temple.
Many devotees offer goat sacrifice(Patha Bali) to the Goddess once their wish is fulfilled.
Nearest Attraction Near Kalyaneshwari Temple
Just Next to Kalyaneshwari temple, there is a Shardamoni Matri Ashram. Goddess Kali and Shiva temple are there.
People who visit Kayaneshwari temple also visit the nearest attraction, Maithon Dam. It is about 5 kilometers or 10 mins journey from the temple.
Also Read: 16 Tourists Places To Visit In Asansol
How To Reach Kalyaneshwari Temple?
The temple is about 1 kilometer off the NH 19 by-pass. It is opposite the road of Ramnagore Colliery.
The nearest railway station is Barakar. Frequent bus services are available from Asansol, Durgapur, and Dhanbad.
There is no separate car parking area. So, cars have to be parked on the nearby roadside. There are some roadside stalls selling puja items. If one buy puja items from them, then they allow parking the cars near their shops.
[…] the name derived from “Mai Ka Sthan” meaning the place of the Goddess( Maa Kalyaneshwari). The natural beauty of Maithon Dam is mesmerizing. The main attraction is the dam, reservoir, and […]