Bhabanipur Maa Aparna Shaktipeeth

Bhabanipur Maa Aparna Shaktipeeth

Bhabanipur Maa Aparna Temple is located in Sherpur Upazila of Bogra District, Rajshahi Division. It is one of the Shakti Peethas of the Indian subcontinent.

Bhabanipur Shrine is consecrated to the goddess Ma Bhabani who is a powerful form of Durga Mata. The form of Shakti is called Aparna and the stone that is worshipped is symbolic of Ma Sati’s left anklet.The Bhairav who protects the anklet is Vaman, and is said to be a manifestation of Shaivite energy. Alternatively called Aparna, Bhavani and Tara, this deity has several legends associated with her. Etymologically, ‘Bhavani’ means one who rules the universe, ‘Arpana’ means one who is dedicated to Lord Shiva and ‘Aparna’ refers to one who is so lost in worship that even the falling leaves go unnoticed by her. Tara Ma is said to be the most ferocious form of Durga. As there is no idol of Bhavani, a Kali idol is worshipped in this temple.

History

After Sati’s self-immolation, when Shiva began the dance of destruction across the universe, Lord Vishnu had hurled his Sudarshan Chakra at the burnt corpse. Various parts of Sati’s body had fallen in different parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is said that Sati’s left anklet had fallen in Bhabanipur, although there are various conflicting theories and sources which say that it wasn’t her left anklet but her right eye or the ribs of the left side of her chest. Because of its status as a Shakti Peeth,Bhabanipur has been an important site for Hindu pilgrims, irrespective of the sect.

Legend

Once a conch-bangles dealer was passing by the side of a lonely pond in a dense jungle near the then Bhabanipur temple, a little girl with vermilion on her forehead approached him and told him that she was the daughter of the Natore Rajbari (Palace). She bought a pair of conch-bangles from him and requested him to collect the price of that bangles from the then Maharani Bhabani; from a basket that was kept in the Rajbari palace at a certain place.

The conch-seller was impressed by the humble words of the girl and gave her the conch bangles and went and asked the Queen for the money.

When the queen Rani Bhavani heard about this incident, she went to the place herself, as they did not have any child in the royal family at that time. The bangle-seller realised she was none other than the goddess Bhavani and began praying to her. The goddess soon emerged from the waters of the pond with her arms full of conch bangles.

The queen and her men were surprised, and the divinity of Mother Bhabani spread throughout the subcontinent. This is that holy “Shakha-Pukur” (conch-bangles pond) where the devotees take holy dip when they visit the place.