Post topic: Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha in Odisha. According to the scriptures, Sage Vyasa composed the Eighteen Puranas, which depict the manifestation and teachings of the Gods. Out of these Puranas, the Siva Purana speaks at length about Lord Siva and his teachings. The Siva Purna extols the union of Siva and Maa Parvati. The manifestation of Adi Shakti is Devi Sati, who married Shiva in accordance with the divine play of the Yugas.. Devi Shakti was born in bodily form as the daughter of King Daksha, as per the boon granted to Brahma by Goddess Shakti. Shiv Shakti; Both Purusha and Prakriti, following the norms of world conventions, lived a married life on Kailasha.
Adi Shakti, as per Hindu scriptures, is considered the ultimate and the most powerful energy in the entire universe. She is present in every living being in the vital airs; She is present as the energy in the weapons of Vishnu and Shiva. She is the energy in the movement of the planets, and the five elements of earth have emanated from her.
Due to the indiscretion of King Daksha, who insulted Lord Shiva during the performance of the mighty Yagna (an ancient sacrificial ritual according to Vedic customs), Devi Sati discarded her earthly body by burning it with her energy. Enraged by Daksha’s actions, Lord Siva thereafter commanded his fierce form, Veerabhadra, to annihilate all those responsible for what had happened at the Yagna. Veerabhadra marched to the capital city of King Daksha and killed all involved in the transgression, including Daksha.
Following worldly conventions, Shiva grieved for the loss of his beloved. To take Shiva out of his grief, Lord Vishnu cut the burnt body of Devi Sati using his divine Sudarshan Chakra into 51 pieces. These body parts were spread across 52 locations on Earth. Eventually, Siva, to mark the end of his mourning, offered prayers and consecrated these body parts, transforming them into divine shrines. These shrines, abodes of immense Shakti powers, came to be known as Shakti Peetha or Sati Peetha.
According to documented records, there are a total of 51 Shakti Peethas, out of which 4 are Adi Shakti Peethas (Vimala Temple in Puri, Maa Kamakhya Shakti Peeth at Guwahati, Kalighat Temple at Kolkata, and Maa Tara Tarini Temple at Brahmapur), and 18 Maha Shakti Peethas. Visiting these Shakti Peethas in India is a deep-rooted desire of mine. I have indeed been fortunate to see a few of them. Notable among these are Maa Kamakhya, Kalighat temple, Kiriteswari Shakti Peeth, Phullara Shakti Peeth and many more. Where are these 51 Shakti Peeths located? The list of 51 Shakti Peeths in India remains one of the most cherished lists of my life.
In this section, I will describe my visit to one of the four Adi Shakti Peeths, specifically Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha, located in the state of Odisha, near the town of Brahmapur.
I have no formal exposure to religion or religious beliefs. As the years have accumulated, I find myself gravitating towards the beliefs that scriptures convey. This change has not been sudden; rather, it has been a gradual, incremental one. I have found myself drawn to the thoughts and teachings of Shiva and Shakti. I believe a visit to the Mookambika temple in the Kollur region of Karnataka can be considered the very first stepping stone in the commencement of my journey. It has been quite a few years since that visit; I still remember promising to return, a vow that remains open. This journey is more mental than physical, which is what I am trying to express.
Every day feels like a journey on this path; some days I am drawn deeper, like a doorway that opens, and I experience something seismic within myself. Then there are other days when the thoughts of the life that we lead overpower me so much that I cannot find the doorway at all. So I keep myself walking on the path, not looking for signs, but rather having faith in the endeavour.
The scriptures, including the Kalika Purana, recognise four Shakta Pithas as sites where most of the energy is concentrated. These are considered to be the most powerful Shakti Peeths . These are Maa Vimala (where the feet fell / Pada Khanda). Then we have Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha, housing the breasts (Sthana Khanda), Maa Kamakhya, associated with the private parts (Yoni Khanda), and the Kalighat temple, where the toes of the right foot fell.
Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha is situated on the Kumari hills, near the Rushikulya River. The temple is close to the town of Brahmapur, Odisha. The temple is associated with the breasts and limbs of Devi Sati, established in the 8th century by King Indradyuma.
Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha has a rich history dating back to ancient times. Established in the 8th century, the goddess Tara Tarini was discovered on a lotus in the middle of a pond. Over the years, subsequent dynasties undertook various renovations and structural works. The current structure, which is established to have been built in the 17th century.
Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha is dedicated to the goddess Tara Tarini, known as the twin sisters. This temple holds great religious and spiritual significance in this region.
To reach Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha in Odisha, one needs to travel approximately 45 minutes from the town of Brahmapur. One can use hired taxis or self-driving vehicles to get to the base of the hill. One needs to purchase tickets and use the services of the tourism-operated state buses. These buses ferry devotees up the mountain to the temple precincts.
The temple opens at 0700 hours in the morning. I visited at this time and had a glorious darshan of the deity. Located on top of the Kumari hills, there is hardly any crowd as I alight from the bus. I walk towards the temple gates. I waited for close to 30 minutes as I had reached early. Spend the time watching the winter sun rise over the horizon, spreading its golden aura all around. The moment is so soothing and graceful.
From the temple, one can have a panoramic view of the entire land spread out. It is indeed a marvellous, awe-inspiring sight. The hills and valleys are renowned for their diverse flora, which includes a wide range of flowering plants.
Tara Tarini Adi Shakti Peetha in Odisha is built in the traditional Kalinga style of architecture, characterised by the use of red sandstone and elaborate carvings. The Kalinga style of temple architecture is a distinctive architectural style that flourished in the ancient Kalinga region. It is known for its tall, vertically oriented structures with a focus on the shikara.
The Taratarini temple style is a subsect of the Kalinga architectural tradition, known as Khakhara Deula, which is particularly used for female deities and goddesses. Here, the roof is generally barrel-shaped.
The Taratarini temple is dedicated to the goddess Tara Tarini, also known as the twin sisters. Both deities are approximately 10 inches high, crudely fashioned in stone, but with silver eyes. Two fully elaborated brass heads enshrined between them represent their Vijepratimas.
The inner sanctum is not very big, and the entire man temple is relatively compact. This structure ensures that devotees can easily reach the inner sanctum and view the Goddess. I even sat for some time in the inner sanctum, letting the energy soak into my soul.
For me, the best part of visiting Maa Tara Tarini Shakti Peetha was the simplicity of the temple and the ease with which I could witness the deity. This enabled the feeling of devotion to soak in thoroughly, as one could even sit inside the inner sanctum for some time without disturbance and meditate on one’s thoughts, feeling the energy within the sanctum. The temple draws me back to visit, and I plan to return soon.
My blog focuses on nature-based places and offbeat destinations. India has an abundance of such places. The ruins of Hampi (read here), the Cave temples of Badami (read here), and the Panch Kedar in Uttarakhand (read here) are a few examples of diverse Historical grandeur and legends. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to see these gems of India.
My blog focuses quite a bit on the ancient history and art of India, as well as other places I keep visiting for travel. The history posts appear because there is ancient Indian History, and many monumental architectures were created.
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Absolutely fascinating, the history and the photos, the elaborate structures that have stood the test of time!!GG
glad :)