Maa Tara Temple, Tarapith

The Maa Tara Temple is the heart of Tarapith and one of the most revered Shakti Peethas in India. According to legend, the third eye (or eyeball, "Tara" meaning eye) of Goddess Sati fell at this spot when Lord Shiva carried her body in grief, making it a Maha Shakti Peetha of immense spiritual power. The present temple was rebuilt in 1818 by Jagannath Ray, a merchant of Mallarpur, though the original shrine is believed to date back many centuries. Legend says the sage Vashishtha first worshipped Goddess Tara at this site, and later the saint Jayadatta Saudagar built a temple here after his dead son was miraculously revived by the waters of the sacred Jivita Kunda tank, which still exists beside the temple. Built in the traditional Bengali 'atchala' (eight-roofed) style with a thick red-brick structure, the temple houses the stone image of Maa Tara with a silver crown and flowing hair, and the metallic face of the deity worshipped by devotees. Thousands of pilgrims visit daily, with huge gatherings during Kaushiki Amavasya, Durga Puja and Tara Ashtami. The temple is famous for its living tradition of Tantric worship, and Maa Tara is offered fish, meat and wine as bhog — a rare practice reflecting the temple's deep Tantric roots.