The uniqueness about Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata is an ardent devout Hindu woman was solely responsible for its entire construction right from purchasing the land to final stages of consecration in mid 1850s, when India was under the control of East India company and her people were the victims of its oppressive rule. The daring soldiers of Barrackpur, who faced untold discrimination, shared the same waters of the river upon the banks of which the Kali Temple came up later. Driven by patriotic zeal, they revolted against the British and this was followed by several protests in other parts, culminating in Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Calcutta (Kolkata), being the capital of the British rulers saw the emergency of numerous, committed patriots who wanted the foreigners driven out of India. The wealthy woman was not only deeply religious, but also patriotic and she kept the temple work going during this tumultuous and unstable political time prevailing before the mutiny. Undaunted, the brave woman at last accomplished her religious commitment - a magnificent Kali temple at Dakshineswar, Kolkata.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple, located in Dakshineswar, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, near Kolkata, West Bengal is dedicated to Bhavatarini, a form of Goddess ''Kali.'' This famous place of worship and veneration was closely associated with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a great saint (whose disciple was renowned Swamy Sri Vivakananda) and was built by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali in 1855.
The three floored south facing temple follows the tradition of Bengal temple architecture and the Navaratna style is represented by nine spires that occupy the upper two floors. Including the platform with a flight of steps, the total height of the spire is 100 feet. In the garbhagraha (sanctum) are enshrined the idols of presiding deity Kali and Lord Shiva in reclining form with Goddess Kali standing on the chest of the lord. Both idols are reverentially placed on a silver lotus flower with 1000 petals made of pure silver.
An interesting feature is all Shiva shrines on the temple premises are facing East and there is also a Vishnu shrine (Radha Krishna) on the NE side of the Temple Complex.
About the origin of this temple there is an interesting legend that may be worthy of mention :
In the middle of the 19th Century in the year 1847, a wealthy devout woman by the name of Rani Rashmoni wanted to go on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Kasi (now Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh) to pray to the divine mother there. She was set to leave by river with her paraphernalia, consisting of several boats, her relatives, servants, food, etc. Before embarking on a long journey, that night she had a strange dream in which Goddess Kali appeared and asked her to have a temple built in her place itself on the banks of the Ganges instead of traveling all the to Kasi. Upon waking up from the dream, she canceled her trip to Kasi and wanted to fulfill the divine dispensation. Immediately she got down to work and, in the first phase, she bought a 20 acre land in the village of Dakshineswar from an Englishman. After knowing the presence of a Musilm burial ground in one corner of the plot, sanctity of the place became an issue as it was believed that the consecration of Goddess Kali could not be done as per Tantric tradition. Consequently the temple construction work got delayed and at last completed after 8 long years. The idol of Goddess Kali was installed according temple Agama Sastras on the Snana Yatra day on 31 May, 1855, with religious fervor graced by one lakh Brahmin Pandits from different parts of the country. The place was formally known as Sri Jagadishwari Mahakali temple. Upon the demise of the head priest Ramkumar Chhattopadhyay sometime later, his brother Gadadhar (later known as Ramakrishna) moved along with his wife Sarada Devi.
For thirty years till 1886, Sri Ramakrishna was instrumental in making the temple more popular and getting lots of pilgrims to the temple. Rani Rashmoni died in the year 1861. This famous temple today stands as a great monument to her selfless services to the causes of Hinduism and the spread of bakthi and devotion to God.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakshineswar_Kali_Temple
Dakshineswar Kali Temple, located in Dakshineswar, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, near Kolkata, West Bengal is dedicated to Bhavatarini, a form of Goddess ''Kali.'' This famous place of worship and veneration was closely associated with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a great saint (whose disciple was renowned Swamy Sri Vivakananda) and was built by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali in 1855.
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| Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata.www.dakshineswar.com |
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| Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata, commons.wikimedia.org |
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| Sri. Ramakrishna
came to the temple in 1855, as an assistant to his elder brother,
Ramkumar, the head priest, a job he took over the next year, after
Ramkumar's death. en.wikipedia.org |
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| .Location map. Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkatawww.maps-india.com |
In the middle of the 19th Century in the year 1847, a wealthy devout woman by the name of Rani Rashmoni wanted to go on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Kasi (now Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh) to pray to the divine mother there. She was set to leave by river with her paraphernalia, consisting of several boats, her relatives, servants, food, etc. Before embarking on a long journey, that night she had a strange dream in which Goddess Kali appeared and asked her to have a temple built in her place itself on the banks of the Ganges instead of traveling all the to Kasi. Upon waking up from the dream, she canceled her trip to Kasi and wanted to fulfill the divine dispensation. Immediately she got down to work and, in the first phase, she bought a 20 acre land in the village of Dakshineswar from an Englishman. After knowing the presence of a Musilm burial ground in one corner of the plot, sanctity of the place became an issue as it was believed that the consecration of Goddess Kali could not be done as per Tantric tradition. Consequently the temple construction work got delayed and at last completed after 8 long years. The idol of Goddess Kali was installed according temple Agama Sastras on the Snana Yatra day on 31 May, 1855, with religious fervor graced by one lakh Brahmin Pandits from different parts of the country. The place was formally known as Sri Jagadishwari Mahakali temple. Upon the demise of the head priest Ramkumar Chhattopadhyay sometime later, his brother Gadadhar (later known as Ramakrishna) moved along with his wife Sarada Devi.
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| Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata.travelinfo-westbengal.blogspot.com |
For thirty years till 1886, Sri Ramakrishna was instrumental in making the temple more popular and getting lots of pilgrims to the temple. Rani Rashmoni died in the year 1861. This famous temple today stands as a great monument to her selfless services to the causes of Hinduism and the spread of bakthi and devotion to God.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakshineswar_Kali_Temple
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