Nalateswari Shaktipeeth Temple – Nalhati

History and the story of Nalateswari Shaktipeeth Temple

The history of Nalateswari Shaktipeeth goes back to the time of Daksha Prajapati. The son of Lord Brahma, Daksha Prajapati was equal to being the ruler of the world. His youngest and favourite daughter was Sati. As She grew up, Sati was attracted to Lord Shiva and wanted Him only as Her husband. This was not liked by Daksha Prajapati. He was a devotee of Lord Vishnu and considered Lord Shiva to be a worthless ascetic with no family life. Sati was determined and performed long penances to obtain Lord Shiva. Her penance bore fruit and She was married to Lord Shiva in spite of Prajapati’s objections. Years passed, one day Prajapati Daksha organised a grand Yagna for the welfare of the world. He invited all the Devi-Devtas, Rishis and Munis but did not invite Lord Shiva and Sati. Arguing that an invitation was not needed to go to your own father’s house, Sati decided to go for the Yagna. Lord Shiva advised Her not to go. He said no good can come from this but Sati went anyway. When She reached Prajapati’s palace, She was welcomed coldly. To add to that, Daksha Prajapati insulted Lord Shiva in the presence of everybody. Sati was furious and unable to tolerate Lord Shiva being insulted. She entered the sacrificial fire and ended Her life. When Lord Shiva heard about this, He was enraged and destroyed the Yagna. He also cut off Daksha Prajapati’s head. Everyone present pleaded with Lord Shiva to spare him and restore his life. Lord Shiva agreed and restored Prajapati’s life, but with the head of a goat. Lord Shiva’s grief was uncontrollable. He gathered Sati’s half burned body in His arms and started His destructive celestial dance (Tandav Nritya). Lord Vishnu knew the only way to calm Lord Shiva was by separating Sati’s body from Him. He sent His Sudarshan Chakra which cut Sati’s body into 51 parts. The parts fell in different spots of the Indian subcontinent. The places where the parts fell came to be Shaktipeeths. Lord Shiva cooled down, went back to Kailash and entered  deep and long samadhi. Sati was reborn thousands of years later as Parvati. She once again married Lord Shiva. Shiv and Shakti were reunited  after a cruel interruption.

It is known that Nalhati has been a pilgrimage since ancient times. Not much of the history of the Nalateswari Shaktipeeth temple can be confirmed from reliable sources. The earliest reference to this temple that can be found in texts that go back about 2500 years. The temple on its present site was built in about 1800 CE by Rani Bhabani. It was a small temple built over the idol of the Goddess. About 80 or 90 years later Maharaja Ronojit Singha of Nashipur renovated and enlarged the temple. He also built a dharamshala for devotees. Since then the temple has been administered and maintained by a local citizens committee.

The temple is not very large, but the architecture is pleasing and of the typical Bengali ‘Atchala style. The idol of the Goddess with three eyes is about four feet high. A golden tongue protrudes from Her mouth. An amazing feature here is that no matter how much water is poured into Her throat, it never overflows. A gulping sound can also be heard as if the Goddess is drinking the water. At the entrance of the sanctum is a small shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesh. The main festivals celebrated here are  Navratri, Durga Puja, Dassehra and Kali Puja.

Importance of Nalateswari Shaktipeeth Temple

Shaktipeeths are considered storehouses of spiritual and Divine energy. Nalateswari Shaktipeeth is the place where Mata Sati’s throat part fell. This temple has been a pilgrimage since times unknown and is said to fulfill all desires of a true devotee. The temple is situated in ‘Rarh Bhoomi’, the cradle of civilisation.

Best time to visit Nalateswari Shaktipeeth Temple

Nalhati can be visited all through the year.

How to reach Nalhati 

The nearest railway station is Nalhati railway station which is about 2 km from the temple.

The nearest airport is Kolkata Airport and is 239 km from the temple.

Puja in Nalateswari Shaktipeeth Temple – Nalhati

Pandit Ji in Nalateswari Shaktipeeth Temple – Nalhati

Nearby Attractions

• Jogesh Bhairab temple
• Sweet Neem Tree
• Brahmani Delta
• Chandramani hills

Temple Location