Taratarini Temple - Highlights of The History of Tara Tarini Shakti Peeth (Kalyan Dham)

Highlights of The History of Tara Tarini Shakti Peeth (Kalyan Dham)

According to the Mythological Puranas the origin of Maa Taratarini 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) attest 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 Sati like the other four major Adi Shakti Peethas, which 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 originated from the limbs of the divine Corpse of Devi Sati.
• According to available historical sources the fall of Kalingan Empire and its capital Sampa (Samapa) in the Kalinga war around 2300 years ago by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, strengthened the grip of Buddhists in this part of India. The then Sampa was hardly 7 km away from Taratarini Hill Shrine. So, scholars believe that Taratarini was worshiped as the principal deity (Ista-Devi) of the mighty Kalinga Empire. After Ashoka conquered Kalinga scholars found it a famous centre of Buddhism. The region of Ganjam near the bank of river Rushikulya was an active Buddhist site as shown from the Special Rock Edicts of Ashoka found at Jaugada at a distance of 4 km from Tara-Tarini Hill Shrine. The name Tara (Buddhism), an important deity of Mahayana Buddhist Pantheon, is suggestive of Buddhist influence. An image of Buddha in meditation, present inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple lends credence to the claim of this site as an ancient centre of the Buddhist Shakta cult.
• According to the texts of Mahayana Buddhists, in the initial days, the Buddhists didn’t believe in the worship of Goddesses or in Pratimapuja (Idol Worship). But, the ecclesiastical texts of Mahayana’s reveal that from 1st century AD after the fall of Kalinga, for the first time the Mahayana Buddhists accepted the worship of Mother Goddess ‘Tara’. So there is seldom any doubt that the Buddhists have learned the ‘Tara’ Puja concept from this Shrine. The Bouddha Tantrik texts, texts of Vajrajani sect and Hindu Tantrik texts also attest these facts. Scholars believe that in the primary days the Buddhists worshiped Taratarini, the principal seat of Tantrik sect in Hinduism at that time, as Bouddha Tara, and later on included ‘Tara’ as the Tantrik deity or spouse of bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in their belief system. Gradually this ‘Tara’ worship spread to different parts of the world.
• Besides the worship of Tara by the Buddhist Tantrikas, the 'Maritime History' of Kalinga also suggest the worship of Tara by the Sadhavas, merchants and seamen before launching their sea voyage from the great sea ports like Dantapura (Gopalpur), Pallur near Chilika Lake, kalingapatna and river Rushikulya . It is important to mention, that all these major Sea ports of the ancient world were present very near to the Taratarini hill Shrine.
• According to folk lore, it is around 8th Century AD when Jagadguru Sankaracharya toured the whole country, that he discovered this Shrine. But, it did not exist in its present form. After long try he came to know that this ancient Shakti centre was under the control of Buddhist tantrikas. Then he released this Peetha from the control of Bouddha tantrikas and handed it over to Hindus.
• It is known from the available sources that till 17th century this place was out of the sight of the common man. But, according to a folk story once Maa Taratarini appeared as two sisters in the house of Shri Basu Praharaj. He was a learned Brahmin of Kharida Vira Jagannathpur village in Ganjam District and one of the great devotees of the Mother Goddess but child less. After staying for some years one day both the sisters disappeared suddenly from the house of Basu Praharaj and according to the account of the villagers both the sisters traveled up to the Tarini Parvat/ Ratnagiri and disappeared there.
• Basu Praharaj searched these two sisters but did not find their tracings. His heart broke down with grief and pain. On that night he saw a dream where the Goddesses Tara and Tarini informed Basu Praharaj that actually they were not his daughters; but they are the Adi Shakti,

Goddesses Tara and Tarini. The Goddesses ordered Basu to come out of the grief and said that the time has arrived and with full devotion renovate the temple on the Hill Top of Tarini Parvat and establish the deities according to the Vedic tradition.

• After that divine direction Basu discovered the tracings of ancient most presence of Adi Shakti Tara Tarini on the sacred Hill Top and immediately took steps to reconstruct the temple and the Shrine. Since that time for its magnetism and sanctity this Sthana Peetha (Breast Shrine) of Mata Sati, became a centre of faith and reverence for countless numbers of people, out in search of peace, tranquility, guidance and spiritual energy and its fame spread like wild fire to become one of the popular religious destinations for millions of devotees. (Excerpts from R P Tripathy's article)

Mythological texts and folklore suggest that during the 6000 years history of this Shakti Peeth many icons have come through this shrine, such as Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Lord Parasuram, the Pandavas, and many saints, including Jagadguru Sankaracharya, Shri Chaitanya, and Balayogi Neelakanthi. Many ancient religions also came together at this shrine, such as the Vedic religion, the Brahminical religion, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Tantricism, among others.

The location of this shrine along the river Rushikulya (also called the Rushikalyani Saraswati and known as the elder sister of the Ganges in the Vedas) enhanced the religious and cultural significance of the Tara Tarini Sthana Peeth also known as Kalyan Dham).