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Saturday, December 21, 2019

Nakuleshwar Temple, Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal

Nakuleshwar Temple, Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal
Nakuleshwar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Bhairav, a form Lord Shiva located in Kalighat in Kolkata City in the Indian State of West Bengal. The Bhairav associated with Kalighat is Nakulish or Nakuleshwar Bhairav. This Bhairav Temple is protector of Kalighat Kali Temple. It is situated in Haldar Para Lane on the opposite side of the Kalighat Temple behind the Kalighat Police Station.


History
It is said that the same Natha saint (Chowranga Giri) who founded the ancient Kali Kshetra (the temple which pre-dates current Kalighat) in the 15th century AD, found the Swayambhu Linga of Nakuleshwar Bhairav. For a long time, his shrine was only a thatched hut. The Kalighat Temple was developed magnificently by the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family in 1809, but her consort had to wait for some more time for a temple. In 1854, a Punjabi merchant named Tara Singh, erected the present stone temple. At that time, there were no walls and the roof was supported by pillars.

The Temple
The current temple is small one, compared to the Kalighat Temple. It is the same temple built around 175 years ago, with some modifications having developed over the years. The Swayambhu Shivalinga is present in the center of the temple and is surrounded by a marble alter. Deities of Nandi and Ganesh are there and an image of Mount Kailash.


Religious Significance
Kalighat in Kolkata is one of the four Adi (ancient) Shakti Peeth, the others being Bimala (inside Jagannath temple of Puri, Odisha), Tara Tarini (Near Berhampur, Orissa), Kamakhya Temple (Near Guwahati, Assam) as per Kalika Purana. It is also one of the 51 Shakti Peeth recognised by other religious text. Kalighat is the temple of Goddess Kali, who is one of the ten Mahavidyas, and destroyer of evil. Nakuleshwar Bhairav, a form of Lord Shiva, is guarding the Goddess here.
Festivals
Every Monday, Full Moon, New Moon and Ekadashi or eleventh day of each lunar phase) special puja and Bhog is organised here.
Connectivity
For brief details, please refer below link;

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