TEMPLE TRAIL
A nondescript house that stands dark and invisible behind the cramped row of flower and fruit stalls at Shibpur Dharmatala More houses the Dharmaraj temple. It is hard to imagine that a temple exists in the milieu of a marketplace. An old wooden door leads to the tiny temple inside where a black stone relief sculpture is the presiding deity, known as Dharmaraj to the common people of Shibpur. According to Howrah Itihas- Aitijhya, written by local historian Sibendu Manna, this sculpture is a figure of Vishnu, standing on a blooming lotus flower. Next to the Dharmaraj idol are other smaller black stone idols of Kali, Jarasur and Vishnu.
Shibpur’s Dharmatala gets its name from this Dharmaraj temple which is estimated to be more than 300 years old. Although there is little historical information available about the temple, it is said that the temple was built by one of the members of the Roychowdhury family, the zamindars of Shibpur. “We have seen this temple since childhood and always knew that our forefathers had built it. The first settler of our family, Rambrahma Roychowdhury, had come here in 1683. His son Sukdeb Roychowdhury came to power in 1707. We assume that the temple must have been built during his tenure,” said Samir Roychowdhury, a member of the family.
Dharmaraj is a form of Yama. The god of death is usually worshipped by members of lower caste Hindus. Inside the temple, one can find a number of earthen horses placed near the deity. Mothers who have ailing children or those whose infants cannot walk properly, usually pledge these horses to the deity.
Buddha Purnima is an auspicious day at the Shibpur temple. Special puja is offered to the god on this day and devotees come in droves to offer prayers at the temple. “We have been sevaits at the temple for several generations. This temple is revered by most people in Shibpur area. On Buddha Purnima, we have a special puja and many people come to offer puja to the deity,” said Madhusudhan Bhattacharya, the priest at the Dharmaraj temple.
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta, India / Front Page> Howrah> Story / Friday – July 03rd, 2015