Surnauth

A visit to Benares...

Benares

Benares (Cāsi – 25.20 North Lat., 83.00 East Long.)

          Situated on the left bank of the river Ganges, is the oldest and holiest pilgrimage centre of the Hindoos’. It has been the traditional centre of education since the ancient times.

According to the purānas, the Benares (or better known as Varanasi), was founded in circa 1200 B.C. The name Varanasi is derived from the two tiny monsoon streams or rivulets, namely, Varuna and Assie, marking the Northern and southern borders of this ancient town. It is also known as Cāsi, meaning “Eternally Illuminated with Divine Light” (or Eternal glow of Divine Light). Historical evidences prove beyond doubt that Cāsi was one of the most important states of the subcontinent, in the 6^th century B.C., with Benares as its capital.

The deity at the Cāsi Viswananth or Viswaeswara – as it was known, since the early Mughal era. Benares is known as ‘the City of Lord Shiva’. The Ghāts or stairs of Benares along the river Ganges are worth mentioning, of which, a few very famous Ghāts are :- Dusaswamedh, Manicarnika, Pancha– Ganga, Harish–chunder, Toolsie, Rānā, Kedār, Ahlya–bai, Rāj–ghāt, Rajendra-pursaud, Hanooman and Rānee –Māhāl. However, the total number of such ghāt counts somewhere around 450.

There is a medieval period observatory, namely the ‘Yantar Mantar’, next to Dusaswamedh ghāt. This masonry observatory was established by Rājāh Jai Singh Swai in 1728 A.D.

The present temple of Cāsi Viswanauth was erected by Rānee Ahlya-bai of Gwalior in the year of 1776. The roads leading to the temple (i.e. Dusaswamedh road and Viswanauth lane) are very narrow. There are other numerous temples, also worth mentioning, e.g. Doorgā Temple, Tulsie-Manas Temple, Sankat-mochan or Hanooman Temple. In Benares, it is believed that, approximately 1500 Hindoo Trmples are there. The famous Benares Hindoo University is situated a mile apart from the Doorgā Temple. Besides, there is the Sanskrit University.

Dusaswamedh and Manicarnikā are the two principal stairs (or ghāt) of Benares. The other important ghāts, from the North to South are – Rāj-ghāt, Prahlad, Trilochan, Guay-ghāt, Pancha-ganga, Bālājee, Rājāh-gwalior, Yatar, Rām, Ganesh, Bhopālā, Ganga-māhāl, Shankatā, Sindia, Manicarnikā, Yalāsena, Lalitā, Meer, Mān-mandir, Rajendrā-pursaud, Dusaswamedh, Nārad, Mān-sarovar, Keshmeshwar, Chowkā, Vijaya-nagore, Niranyanee, Chait-Singh, Prabhoo, Pancha-coat, Shree-neshadrāj, Jain, Batchh-rāj, Ananda-mayee, Yanakie, Bhadainee, Toolsie, Rānee-māhāl, Assie & Nagoā; on the west bank of the river Ganges.

Benares is also a place for pilgrimage for the Jains. The four noble men(or ‘Tirthankara’) of the Jain religionwere born here. Even there is a very sacred Buddhist pilgrimage, called ‘Sarnauth’, situated on the outskirts of Benares. Here, Gautama, ‘the Buddha’ pronounced his first sermon, about 2500 years ago.

Distances of Benares from Calcutta and Delhi are; 678 Km. and 763 Km. respectively, lying almost midway between the two metropolises.

Monday, 22^nd day of Phālguna, Bengali year 1417

The 7^th March 2011

PHOTOGRAPHS Culna, West Bengal, Dist. Burdwan

Ananta Basudeb Temple

Shiddheshwarie Temple

Govinda Temple

Pratapeshwar Temple

Laljee Temple

The 108 Shiva Temples

Culna, West Bengal, Dist. Burdwan

Hanseswarie

The Temple of Hanseswarie (Banshabati – Hooghly District)

Situated approximately 28 miles (45 K.M.) North of Calcutta and about 3 miles (4 K.M.) from BANDEL Junction Rly. Station, of the Eastern Railway. The temple is about a mile away from the Bansbarea (Banshabatie) Railway Station.

The Hanseswarie temple is located within the compound of the house of local land lord, having the title of ‘Roy-Mahashaya’ (Dutta-Roy-Chowdhury, indeed). The ‘Chowdhury’ title was awarded to one Raghava Dutta-Roy-Chowdhury, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, in 1066 Hizri (1656 A.D.). The temple houses a number of idols, they are ; - the ‘Ananta Vashudeva (Shree Krishna), goddess Hanseswarie, Swayam-bhara(goddess Calee) and Chaturdaseshwar (Lord Shiva). The temple is of Benares architectural style, it is a six-storied high, 13 dome structure, with a height of 70 feet approximately.

Raghava Dutta-Roy-Chowdhury and his son Rameshwara built a finely carved brick (terracotta) temple of Ananta Vashudeva and Lord Vishnoo in 1679-1680 A.D. Later on, the Rajah of Banshabatie, Shree Nrisingha Dev built a small temple dedicated to goddess Calee or Swayam-bhara. Later, he became a ‘tantrick’ and started to build a temple in honour of goddess Hanseswarie. He died in 1802, before it was completed. His widow, Ranee Shankarie Devi completed the construction work of the temple in 1814 A.D. It is said that about Rupees Five Lac (Half a million) were spend to construct this temple. The idol of goddess Hanseswarie is made of the timber from a fig tree, the colour of which is blue.

The Ananta Vashudeva temple is placed on the West of the Hanseswarie temple, which is also the oldest of the lot. The temple came up in 1679 A.D. There is a big dome on the top of the temple. The Ananta Vashudeva temple is a masterpiece of Bengal temple art. Built in typical ‘char chala ek ratna’ style of Bengal school, this temple is embellished with the finest terracotta wall decorations.

The terracotta wall motifs mainly illustrate tales from the Mahabharata, Krishnaleela and the Ramayana. The Daksha-yagna, Dashamahavidya and Dasavatar tales also find representation.

02/03/2011, Wednesday

The 17^th Fulgoona 1417 Bengali Year M. Bandyopadhyay

On Maha Shiva-ratree day

Hanseswarie Temple