Baba Taraknath Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Dumdum Airport is the nearest, about 61 km away. Travel the rest of the way by cab.

• By train

  Local trains run from Howrah Junction to Tarakeswar Station. The Howrah to Tarakeswar line was opened in 1885.

• By road

  State Highway 15 and State Highway 2 pass through Tarakeswar. The largest bus terminus in Hooghly district is here, with more than 50 bus routes.

Why devotees come here

Baba Taraknath Temple stands in Tarakeswar, a sacred city in Hooghly district, West Bengal. It is dedicated to Shiva, and it is also claimed to be one of the Jyotirlinga shrines of Mahadev.

Baba Taraknath Temple is dedicated to Shiva, worshipped here as Taraknath, and it is a major pilgrimage spot in the town. The temple is named after Tarakeswara, a form of Mahadev, and it enshrines a Shayambhu linga. The town of Tarakeswar is called Baba Dham, or the city of Shiva, and it is a place of pilgrimage for the Shiva sect in West Bengal.

The temple was built in 1729, and it is believed that Raja Bharamalla Rao had it constructed. It is an atchala structure of Bengal temple architecture, with a natmandir in front. Four roofs rise above the sanctum, and extended galleries give room to the devotees who gather.

Each year between July and August, around the month of Shrawan, nearly 10 million devotees come to the Tarakeswar Yatra from various parts of India. It is described as the longest and largest mela of West Bengal.

Festivals

• July to AugustTarakeswar Yatra

  Held around the month of Shrawan. Devotees carry Ganga water from Nimai Tirtha Ghat at Baidyabati, about 39 km away, to offer to Shiva.

Tips for your visit

• Dudhpukur, a tank north of the Shiva temple in Tarakeswar municipality, is believed to fulfil the prayers of those who take a dip in it.
• Shrines of Kali and Lakshmi Narayan stand close to the Shiva temple.
• Tarakeswar railway station is one of the most important stations of Eastern Railway.

Questions people ask