Trisrota Shakti Peeth (Bhramari Devi)

Old Salbari, Dhupguri block, Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal

51 Shakti Peeths

Traditions differ: Some devotees place this peeth elsewhere in Jalpaiguri district, at Bodaganj or in the Satkura area.

About

The Bhramari Devi temple at old Salbari, in the Dhupguri block of Jalpaiguri district, is honoured as the Trisrota Shakti Peeth. It stands near the Teesta river, between three streams of the river, which gives the name Trisrota, 'three streams'. The lists say the left foot of Devi Sati fell here; the Devi is Bhramari and the Bhairav Ambar (some texts say Ishwar), whom local devotees link with Jalpesh Shiv. The sanctum lies a few steps down, where a stone honoured as the Devi's left foot is worshipped along with a dark image of the Devi seated on a lion. A pair of banyan trees shades the courtyard.

The story

The Shakti Peeth story tells that after the sorrowful events at King Daksha's yagya, Shiv ji wandered in grief with Devi Sati's body, and Vishnu ji's Sudarshan chakra divided it; her left foot is believed to have fallen at Trisrota.

The Devi's name here comes from a story in the Devi Bhagavata Purana. The demon Arunasur won a boon that no two-legged or four-legged creature could kill him, and he drove the devas out of heaven. Then the Mother took the form of Bhramari, the goddess of bees, and sent out countless bees and other six-legged creatures, which overcame him and his army, and the devas returned to their homes. Local tradition adds that some decades ago a sadhu in red robes stayed long at the temple doing puja and yagya, and found the stone form of the Devi's left foot under the trunks of three thick trees. After that, sadhus and pilgrims began to come from far away.

Visiting

October to March is the best time; the Teesta floods in the monsoon. The temple is in the Dhupguri area of Jalpaiguri district, and Jalpaiguri and Dhupguri are the nearest towns. Many pilgrims also visit the Jalpesh Shiv temple near Mainaguri, linked with the Devi's Bhairav.

Festivals

Sharad Navratri and Durga Puja
Special puja and mela on Maghi Purnima

51 Shakti Peeths

Sources