Bansberia Archives

14/Sep/2022

Location

Hangseswari Temple (also known as Haneswari Temple) is a Hindu Ratna temple located in the town of Bansberia in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, India.

Who Build

It was commissioned by Raja Narsingh Deb Roy Mahase and later completed by his widowed wife Rani Shankari in 1814. The architecture of the temples represents “Tantric Satyagraha”. The structure talks about the structure of the human body. Because the five-story temple is like the five parts of our human body, namely: Bajraksh, Ira, Chitrini, Pingala, and Sushumna.

The presiding deity of the temple is Hangseswari, a form of Mother Adi Parashakti Jagatjanani Dakshina Kali in Hindu mythology. In December 1799, Raja Nrisimhadeva Raya Mahasaya laid the foundation stone of this temple. But after the completion of the second story in 1802, the founder died, leaving this far-flung temple unfinished. His second wife Rani Shankari completed the rest of the work in 1814.

The Temple

Built in the early 19th century, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Hangseswari, a form of Goddess Kali. The architecture of this temple, which is truly extraordinary in all its forms, is the main attraction of this place. The temple complex is at a height of 27.5 meters and has a total of 13 minarets. The spire of each tower represents a lotus flower. The presiding quadrangle Devi idol is made of blue neem wood.

The ruling deity of the temple is Hanseshwari (‘Han’ meaning Shiva and ‘Sa’ meaning power), an incarnation of Goddess Kali. Surprisingly, Narsingh Deb’s mother, a dark-complexioned woman, also had the same name and personality.

Unlike the metal castings prevalent in that era, the idol painted in blue and is made of neem wood. The temple has a beautifully landscaped garden and an old terracotta temple dedicated to Ananta Basudev, a form of Lord Vishnu. Even today, regular prayers offered to both the deities, and animal sacrifices offered daily. The ruins of the royal residence of Datta still exist behind the temple complex. The temple will leave you in awe because of the architectural details.

The temple known for its unique gem architecture. Bansberia an industrial town situated between Bandel and Tribeni. Rani Hanseshwari, the mother of King Narasimha Deb Roy; hence the deity worshiped as Maa Hanseshwari. In Hindu mythology, the goddess worshiped as Maa Kali. There is another temple in the temple complex – Anantha Basudeba Temple – apart from the main temple.

The temple situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River and is the largest temple in the vicinity. According to history, Rudra Pandit belonged to a specific family of Chatra. He retired from his family mansion and began a series of religious austerities. It said that as a result of his penance, Lord Radhaballabh himself appeared before him in the form of a religious monk and instructed him to obtain a stab or stone from Gaur the capital of the then Bengal, the capital of Bengal, and build an image out of it.

Lord Radhaballabh told him about the orders that he should be carried out without fail. Soon water droplets began to be emitted from the stone and at the same time the Viceroy also died. The minister said that the drops of water dripping from the stone tears of the stone and the inauspicious object should be removed from the palace. Permission granted immediately and Rudra blessed with the fulfillment of his wishes. Rudra immediately started working on the stone and sculpted the idol on it.

The mysterious origins of the image soon attracted worshipers and masters. Soon people decided to build a temple to protect the image. The Haneshwari Temple built in the early 19th century. The main deity is a blue neem-wood idol of the four-armed goddess Hanseshwari, a form of Goddess Kali. The temple is 21 meters high and has 13 minarets. It has six stories and a total of 13 lotus bud-shaped miners with a height of 27.5 m or 90 ft. The internal complexes of these miners follow the design of human anatomy. On top of the central miner carved a metal statue of the sun god rising with his thousand bright rays.

On this, the quadrilateral “Maa Shakti” is standing on her right foot – with the left foot resting on her right thigh. The internal complexes of these miners follow the design of human anatomy. On top of the central miner carved a metal statue of the sun god rising with his thousand bright rays. On this, the quadrilateral “Maa Shakti” is standing on her right foot – with the left foot resting on her right thigh. The deities are blue in color and made of wood obtained from the “neem” tree. The room below the central minaret has a white marble “Shiva Linga”. Apart from the architectural marvel of the temple, the village-cum-town landscape as well as the serenity of the place is something to be enjoyed.

Architect

The unusual architecture of the Hangseswari Temple represents the “Tantrik Satchakrabheda”. The construction of the temple started by King Nrisimhadeva Roy but later completed by his wife Rani Shankari. Since the temple has deities of both Shiva and Shakti, it named “Hanseshwari”. Apart from this, there also the Swanbhaba Kali Temple built by Raja Nrusingh Deb Roy Mahasaya in 1788 which dedicated to Lord Krishna. There is another temple around it, which called Swanbhaba Kali Temple. Both these temples exquisitely decorated with terracotta carvings.

Unique Craft on Piler — Terracotta Plaque on Vasudev Temple

The Hangseswari Temple has a distinctive architecture different from the usual pattern present in the region, consisting of 13 minarets or gems, each built in the form of a blooming lotus bud. The internal structure of the building is similar to human anatomy.