West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; September 10: Tarapith temple in Birbhum witnessed a major gathering of devotees on Thursday as thousands of pilgrims arrived to offer prayers to Goddess Tara on the sacred occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya. The special religious day brought a festive and deeply spiritual atmosphere to Tarapith, while elaborate arrangements were also made at the historic Kalighat temple in Kolkata to accommodate the large number of devotees expected throughout the day.

From the early hours of Thursday morning, long queues of devotees were seen at both Tarapith and Kalighat temples. Many pilgrims travelled from different parts of West Bengal and neighbouring states to seek the blessings of Goddess Tara and observe the religious rituals associated with Kaushiki Amavasya.

Tarapith, one of Bengal’s most revered Shakti pilgrimage centres, remained at the heart of the celebrations. Special worship and other religious rituals were organised at the temple as devotees gathered to offer flowers, prayers and other offerings before the deity. The temple premises and surrounding areas remained crowded as pilgrims continued to arrive from the morning.

A special attraction of this year’s Kaushiki Amavasya celebrations at Tarapith is the arrangement for Ganga Aarti three times during the day, a first for the temple on this occasion. The decision has added another spiritual dimension to the celebrations, drawing considerable attention among devotees and visitors.

The occasion also saw a special message from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who extended his greetings to people across the state on Kaushiki Amavasya. Paying his respects to Maa Tara on the sacred occasion, the Chief Minister expressed his hope that the blessings of the goddess would bring happiness, peace, prosperity and well-being to everyone.

In his social media message, the Chief Minister prayed for the removal of all forms of negativity and darkness from people’s lives and wished that the divine blessings of Tara Maa would remain upon everyone. He also conveyed his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to the people on the auspicious occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya.

Meanwhile, preparations at Kalighat temple in Kolkata have also been stepped up in view of the expected rush. Devotees began arriving early in the morning, creating a vibrant religious atmosphere in and around the temple. Special arrangements have been made to manage the crowd and ensure that pilgrims can offer their prayers without major inconvenience.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit Kalighat in the evening to offer prayers. His visit is expected to add further significance to the day’s religious observances in the city.

Kaushiki Amavasya holds a particularly important place in the religious traditions associated with Goddess Tara. Devotees consider the day highly auspicious for worship and spiritual observances, and Tarapith traditionally attracts a large number of pilgrims during the occasion. The combination of special rituals, devotional gatherings and temple celebrations has once again transformed Tarapith into a major centre of religious activity.

As the day progresses, the flow of devotees is expected to continue at both Tarapith and Kalighat. The celebrations have brought together faith, tradition and devotion, with pilgrims seeking the blessings of the goddess and praying for peace, prosperity and the well-being of their families.

The atmosphere across the two major temples remained charged with devotion as bells, prayers and religious chants echoed through the temple premises. For thousands of devotees, Kaushiki Amavasya is not merely a festival but an important spiritual occasion to renew their faith and seek divine protection and blessings.