Nandipur Shakti Peeth (Nandikeshwari)

Nandikeshwari temple, Sainthia, Birbhum district, West Bengal

51 Shakti Peeths

About

The Nandikeshwari temple, also called Nandikeshwari Tala, is in the heart of Sainthia town in Birbhum district, West Bengal, near the Mayurakshi river and close to Sainthia Junction station. The town's old name, Nandipur, comes from this temple. It is the Nandipur Shakti Peeth, where the necklace of Devi Sati is believed to have fallen; the Devi is Nandini and the Bhairav Nandikeshwar. The Devi is a black stone, now almost red with sindoor, adorned with a silver crown and three golden eyes. The shrine stands by a huge old banyan tree, where devotees tie red and yellow threads with their prayers.

The story

According to the Shakti Peeth tradition, after King Daksha's yagya Shiv ji wandered in grief carrying the body of Devi Sati. Vishnu ji's Sudarshan chakra then divided the body, and wherever a part or an ornament fell, a Shakti Peeth arose. At Nandipur her necklace, an ornament rather than a part of the body, is believed to have fallen; the English Wikipedia article on the temple mentions her collarbone instead. The Devi's name is linked with Nandi, Shiv ji's bull and devoted follower: Nandikeshwari is 'the Devi worshipped by Nandi'. The present temple was built in 1913 (Bengali year 1320). Around it stand smaller shrines of Ram-Sita, Shiv, Maha Saraswati, Lakshmi-Ganesh, Lakshmi-Narayan, Radha-Govind, Hanuman ji and the Bhairav Nandikeshwar. By old custom, the traders of Sainthia worship Maa Nandikeshwari on Poila Baishakh and Vijaya Dashami and then open their new account books; one explanation of the name Sainthia is also linked with this custom.

Visiting

October to March is pleasant. The temple is within walking distance of Sainthia Junction on the Sahibganj loop line, and Bolpur-Shantiniketan is about 33 km away. Nearby are Bakreshwar, Nalhati, Kankalitala, Fullara and Tarapith.

Festivals

Poila Baishakh (Bengali New Year)
Vijaya Dashami

51 Shakti Peeths

Sources