Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 19 FEB: Shivnibas in Majdiya, Nadia, witnessed a grand celebration on the occasion of Maha Shivratri, with thousands of devotees offering their prayers and pujas at Asia’s second-largest Shiv temple. The festival, which is celebrated annually in honour of Lord Shiva, is observed on a moonless night and is believed to be the day when Shiva got married.
The Shiv temple in Shivnibas has a rich history, established by Raja Krishnachandra to protect his family from Marathi Bargi invaders. The temple has three surviving temples, two dedicated to Lord Shiva and one to Ram-Sita. One of the Shiva temples, known as Raj-Rajeshwar, was built in 1754 and enshrines a nine-feet-high Shivling. The second Shiva temple, named Rageswar, was built seven years later on the insistence of the king’s second wife, and its Shivalinga stands at a height of 7 feet. The Ram-Sita Temple was also built in 1762.
Samar Bhattacharya, the chief priest of the temple, said that Raja Krishnachandra took shelter at Shivnibas to protect himself and his family from Marathi Bargis. His court members suggested him to set up a Shiva temple to protect himself from the attacks.
He also highlighted the unique construction of the Shiva temples, which differ from the typical structure of Bengal temples with sloped roofs or multiple ‘ratna’ or spires. Repaired and repainted, it is difficult to discern the temples’ architectural legacy of over 250 years.
The festival also witnessed a huge fair that began on Bhaimi Ekadashi and continued till Maha Shivratri. The pilgrims ascended a flight of stairs to reach the platform where they poured water and milk on the Shivling.
Niladri Bhattacharya, the successor of the priest family and the person in charge of looking after the temples, narrated the future plans to upgrade the temple infrastructure and services. “We have several plans to develop the temple infrastructure and services. We will shortly initiate Prasad or Bhog services here with affordable prices,” he said.
Overall, the Maha Shivratri celebration at Shivnibas was a grand event that showcased the rich history and unique construction of the Shiv temple. The future plans to upgrade the temple infrastructure and services will undoubtedly attract more devotees and visitors to this historic site.
Tags: #Shivnibas #Majdiya #Nadia #RajaKrishnachandra #ShivTemple #Shivling #Asia
