Tarapith Temple

Tarapith, in the red-earth countryside of Birbhum, is the Shakta pitha of Tara’s eye — where the tradition locates Sati’s eyeball? — of Sati’s third eye’s? — of the eyeball by the standard lists — and the cremation-ground seat of Bengal’s tantric Tara, made famous by the saint Bamakhepa.

Significance

The image is a small Tara, tongue out, wearing a silver crown — attended day and night; the Siddha-peetha beside the cremation ground (mahashmashana) is the tantric heart of the site, where sadhakas have practiced for centuries and where Bamakhepa (d. 1911) lived his famous devotion. Vamakhepa’s vision of Tara feeding him from her own bowl is the shrine’s central legend.

History

The temple’s chronicle attaches to the 13th-century sage Vashishtha’s tapas in the Puranic frame and to the 18th–19th centuries historically; the Sadhak Bamakhepa era (1837–1911) fixed its fame.

Modern status

A dense pilgrimage economy (the goat market, the dharamshalas) surrounds the shrine; Bamakhepa’s samadhi temple draws sadhus and film crews alike.

Verification notes

• Pitha status is canonical for Bengal’s lists; Bamakhepa’s era is documented.
• Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).