Taratarini Temple

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Taratarini Temple.

The Famous Shakti Pitha and situated at Kumari hills on the bank of River  Rushikulya near  Purushottampur in Ganjam District is one of  the most ancient Shakti  pithas of Orissa.    Goddesses Tara-Tarini have been regarded as the presiding deity(Ista-Devi)in almost every house in  South  Orissa. This important and famous Shakta Pitha is situated on a hill top at a distance of 30 Kms towards north of Brahmapur on the south bank of river  Rushikulya. The  height of the    hill    is approximately  708ft. and the  total area spreading over 180 Acres of land. 

It is surrounded by natural beauty . The picturesque scenery of the temple,from the hill top down to the bank of river Rushikulya gives immesse pleasure and a thrilling experience of nature and divinity to each pilgrim - visitor and often captivates its mind and soul. There are 999 steps on the front side of the hill leading to the temple and also a pucca road for vehicle on the backside of the hill facilitating devotees to reach at the Pitha. Provisions of electricity, drinking water and a small market complex at the site with articles of puja /archana are additional features of this Pitha.

Be aware from Monkey and keep your belongings in tight hand, like mobile and purse, after given Puja also keep Prasad hiding or may the monkey 🐒 will take.

Look at the background it will give you more pleasure when you will at the point.

At the hill top in a small but  beautiful temple  appears  the  famous Shrine of Tara-Tarini. Worship at this important centre of Shakta cult has been continuing since time  immeonial

Two  stones anthropomorphized  by  the  addition  of  gold  and silver  ornaments and  shaped  to be seen  as human faces are the main Shrine   of  this  temple  which represents the Goddesses Tara and Tarini.In between them are placed two fully celebrated and  beautiful brass heads  as their Chalanti Pratima. It has been said that from a tribal cult Tara-Tarini have  been transformed into Shakti cult through the process of aryanisation.Of couse the name Tara, the Primordial deity of the Mahayana Budhist Pantheon ,  indicates Budhist influence of element  in  the Tara - Tarini worship which seems to suggest the incorporation of a tribal  cult  and  Buddhist  influence before its Hinduisation.

 

       There are no historical and other records to exactly  show when Tantrika  practices entered into the  Buddhist  faith before 1st  Century  B.C. Some correct  inferences , however , can  be  made  with available literature found in China, Tibet, Sinhala (Srilanka)Nepal and India. The existing  historical records  do  not  go  beyond  the  great   Buddhist Councils successively convened  upto  the reign  of Kaniska. These  great  Councils discussed  the rise of the new  unorthodox canon , as  upheld  by  Maha Sangikas.The  Mahavastu composed during this period show how Mahayanism  emerged  in the  scene  during the 1st Century B.C. and accepted into its fold all the  prevalent religious  doctrine , practices  and belief  of  Buddhism  and  Hinduism as well . Thus, Buddhism in its historical philosophical and social aspects , in its thought  and  resultant  practices accepted and incorporated Hindu Tantra relating to Shakti worship.

The Official side-(https://taratarini.nic.in/)

            It is believed that by the time Ashoka conqured Kalinga Empire he  found it to be a famous centre of Buddhism.Undoubtedly this part of Orissa, particularly Ganjam region on  the  bank  of  river Rushikulya was very active in Buddhist pursuits. It is evident from the   Special Rock  Edit of  Ashoka found at Samapa ( modern Jaugada) ,  the capital of Southern  Kalinga of Ashokan  Empire ,  at  a  mere distance  of 4 Kms.  from Tara-Tarini Hill.  Though the  Special  Rock  Edit of  Ashoka at  Jaugada has nothing  to do   with  Buddhism  as  it  especially addressed  his    officials , the  propagation   of Buddhism in and around this capital city of  Ashoka can  not  be ruled  out .Hence , the probability of worship  of  Tara , the   primordial  deity  of the Mahayana Buddhist  sect  at  Tara-Tarini  Hill  and Tara-Tarini as  a  famous   Buddhist  Tantra  Pitha since  this  time, can be established on the  basis of this  hypothesis. Moreover till date it has been considered as one  of  the  most  important  Tantra Pitha. Interesting  a small image of  of  Buddha in its meditating  sitting posture, present inside the sanctum  sanctorum  of the main  temple  corborates the  claim  of  this site to the ancient  centre of Shakta cult.

       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 sea-men before  launching  their  sea voyage. Once upon a  time  river   Rushikulya   was conducive to navigation and probably the worship of Tara has been a practice among  the people of  this region  involved in   mari-time   activities . Even some   ruins  of  a brick  foundation   at  village Mukundapur on the south bank of river Rushiklya  at the bottom of Tara-Tarini Hill and  the  so  called Ganda ( deep river )  adjacent to  this  points  to some flourishing maritime activities in this region through river Rushikulya. Hence , on  the  basis of these   evidences  the   worship   of   Shakti   at Tara-Tarini can be traced back to a very old age.

There are many interesting stories, myths legends and folklore relating to the origin of the Tara-Tarini Shrine at the hill top. One of the legends of the puranic tradition connects the Shrine to the Daksha Yagyan from which the famous Shakta Pitha of Tara-Tarini originated from the limbs of the Corpse of Devi or Sati. According to this legend once Daksha Prajapati the father of Goddes Devi or Sati performed a Yagyan to which he deliberately did not invite his daughter and her husband Lord Siva . When Devi knew this from Narada she took the permission of her husband and came to the Yangyan site to enquire why her father did not invite her husband Lord Siva to the Yogyan. Daksha spoke insulting words to Lord Siva which were not tolerable to Sati. As a result of this she jumped into the Yagyan Kunda and sacrificed her life. When Lord Siva knew this he became very angry and taking the dead body of Sati he started tandaba nrutya which could have caused Mahapralaya ( vast destruction). On the request of the Devatas, Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Sani entered the corpse of Sati and disposed it part by part. Consequently Shakta Pithas originated on the places where the organs of Sati had fallen. It is said that the breasts of Sati fell at the Kumari Hills on the bank of river Rushikulya and thus the famous Tara Tarini Shakta Pitha arose at this place.

 

      Some other legends also associate Tara Tarini to their human forms as two beautiful girls who used to live some times with their devotees ( who later became their priests ) they caused miracles to make the devotees feel their presence and take steps for their worship.One of such legend reveal that Vasu Praharaja , a learned Brahmin of Kharida Vira Jagannathpur Sasan near Purushotampur had the opportunity to be the foster father of the two sisters Tara-Tarini who in due course of time by the divine order of Tara-Tarini did the needful to perform Yagyan and established the Shrine at the hill top in a temple for daily worship.

 

       From all these historical evidences and fragment of various legends it can be concluded that Tara-Tarini is one of the ancient most Shakta Pitha of Orissa.