HANGSESHWARI TEMPLE AND ANARTA BASUDEVA TEMPLE

HANGSESHWARI TEMPLE AND  ANARTA BASUDEVA TEMPLE:-

                               

LOCATION:- 

                     Hangseshwari Temple Complex is located at a distance of about 10 km from Hooghly and about 50 km from Kolkata, in Bansberia.Bansberia is located besides river Ganga, and it's situated in between Tribeni and Bandel.This beautiful complex maintained with gardens. The temple complex consists of two temples, namely Ananta Basudeba Temple and Hangseshwari Temple, which is the most significant one.The time when the temple was constructed, Nawab Shayesta Khan was ruling Bengal.

HANGSESHWARI TEMPLE:-

                    The temple is standing on a raised platform. As soon we enter the temple, the temple dalan has a mud cluster, worshiped by people, surrounded by an iron railings. From outside we can see the main door of garbhagriha where the main deity is located, just before that white marble shiva linga in present beneath the floor and is worshiped. All the four side of the temple has shiva linga . The entry of the garbhagriha is beautifully decorated along with the the ceilings. The inner chamber is connected to the domes through narrow passage ways.Entry is restricted for tourists, as according to locals many people got lost in them.
                      Raja Nrisimhadeva Rai started the construction of this temple in 1799. It is said that the king built this temple after he was instructed by Goddess Hangseshwari in a dream.Rani Hanseswari was the mother of Raja Nrisingha Deb Roy, hence the deity is worshipped as Maa Hanseswari.
                      The temple was made of stone and bricks.The temple is of 'Ratna' type and has 13 ratnas arranged in five-storey. The shikharas are conical in shape and depicting an image of lotus petal. The temple was building on 'kundalini and yogic concepts', architecturally it represents " Tantrik Satchakrabhed ".
                       The body of Hangseswari godess (form of goddess kali) blue in colour which is made up of neem wood, has four arms and is seated on a lotus having it's stalk coming out of the navel of a mahadeva. The goddess is standing on her right leg- resting the left leg on her right thigh. The upper left hand is carrying a sword , the lower left hand is carrying a head of a demon; the upper right palm is posed in Abhaya Mudra whereas the lower right hand is in Bar-Mudra.
                       The five storied temple represents the five different parts of Human body, such as : Bajraksha, Ira, Chitrini, Pingala and Sushumna. It also shows the influence of European architecture.
                       About one lakh rupees or more was spent on marbles brought from Chunar situated near Benaras (Varanasi, U.P). Unfortunately the King died in the year 1802 in the midway of construction of the temple. His widowed queen Shankari took the initiative and completed the construction of the temple in the year 1814.

                                 

                                         

   
                                       

ANARTA BASUDEBA TEMPLE:-

           Just beside Hungseshwari temple , connected to it lies the anarta basudeba temple. It was built by Raja Mahasai Raneshwar Dutta Rai. In 1679. He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. The deity is bluish in colour. The temple is 'ekratna' in plan and has octagonal pinnacle over the humped roof of the temple which has arched openings on all it's sides.The temple is standing on a raised platform. There are triple - arched facade on the east and southern side of the temple. Whole temple wall is decorated with panels of terracotta plaques, depicting war scenes, soldiers in ships, life of Krishna, gods and goddesses, animals, fight between rama and ravana, floral designs,etc.
       
                               

                    Next to the temples are the remainings of the Duttaroy palace, which are now fully in ruined state.