Nalateswari Temple

According to the localities, in 252th Bengali year or “Bongapto”, “Kamdev” (the Hindu god of love or desire) who had dreamt about its existence, discovered the larynx of maa sati in the Nalahati forest. Another legend depicts that Ram Sharam Devsharma was known to be the first discoverer of the Nala of Devi Sati and this had marked the beginning of Maa Nalateswri devotion.

In the later half, Bramhachari Kushalnan had offered the first “Bhog” or food offerings. He had started the salvation on the “Pancha-munda-ashana” or the five headed throne. Nalhati is a beautiful place with serene outdoors and plateaus all around. Maa Nalateswri resides in such a soulful location and has resemblance with Kamakha and Kalighat Shakti peethas. Maa Nalateswri is also praised as Maa or “Bhagobidhata-Nalateswri” or Devi Parvati or Kalika.

The beautiful temple of Maa Nalateswari looks magnificent from the outside. While you enter inside, you would be amazed at the architecture of the entrance gateway. As you step in the door way, you would be able to see the “Garb Griha” of the temple straight away, raised over a platform. This drips the feeling of divinity right from the entrance. Now as you enter the gateway of the “Garb Griha”, there is an idol of lord Ganesh, who is being surrounded with eight snakes and is beautified with wonderful colors.

Then comes the main part of the temple. The “Garb Griha” (sanctum sanctorum) is crowned with a raised pinnacle where deity of Maa Nalateswri is worshipped. The feeling of positive energy (that helps to destroy the evils of life) rises within as you look at the deity of Maa. The deity has huge eyes, also known as “Trinayan” (or three eyed deity), red colored tongue made of gold whereas the face is completely laden with sindur or vermilion (the sign of marriage of Hindu women) which is much more beautified with thick eyebrows, teeth, nose and a small forehead. Below the golden tongue there lies the “Nala” or throat of Devi Sati. No matter how much water is being poured down the throat, it will never get overflowed or dried up even in the absence of it for many days. Even when the water moves down the throat there is a sound produced which can be recognized as a gulp echo.