Image of Maa Tara

Maa Tara is shown as blue, dressed in tiger skin, with a jutting out tongue, tangled and sticking out hair, standing with one leg on Shiva's recumbent body and clutching a scissor, a blue lotus, a sword, and a skull bowl in each of her four hands. She resembles Ma Kali, with a few notable changes. She is blue, whereas Ma Kali is black, and she wears tiger skin, whereas Ma Kali does not. She also carries a scissor and a blue lotus in two of her hands, whereas Ma Kali does not. While Kali is the power that prevents and eliminates all hardship, Tara is the power that quickly sublimates all negative. She is the power that allows us to rise above anything negative in our life. The scissors represent logical thinking power, and she uses them to chop off the false identity and samskaras that impose limitations and binds.

According to Nila Tantra, Maa Tara is iconographically depicted as having the qualities of Goddess Kali. She is in the Pratyalidha posture. She had a low stature, a protruding tummy, and a dark blue complexion. Aside from her mild and lovely Saraswati aspect, she has a dreadful appearance. She is dressed in tiger hide with a garland of human heads around her neck. She is at her prime and is adorned with Pancha Mudras. She carries Khadga-sword, Indivara-lotus, Kartika shear, and Kapala human skull in her four hands. Her tongue is extended in the same manner as Maa Kali's. Her head is adorned with a single braid of matted hair. Maa Tara stands on the corpse laying on the flaming funeral pyre, three-eyed, and ranges her feet, which appears terrifying. These are symbols of Mother Kali, who is always ready to dispel the darkness of ignorance and the passivity of Her believers.

Goddess of Tarapith Mandir (Temple), Kalighat 

Tarapith Mandir, Kalighat, is regarded as the most important tirthas holy location, with Sidhu Pith holy shrines dedicated to Tara Maa. Because the fallen body pieces of Sati Devi's corpse while Lord Shiva carried it and traveled in sorrow. There are 51 Shakti Peeth in South Asia, which correspond to the 51 letters in Sanskrit. The Shakti Peethas are linked to the Daksha Yaga and Sati's self-immolation. Tantra practitioners revere these shrines as vital places of worship.

There are two fierce and motherhood forms of Maa tara in Tarapeeth:

Fierce Form: A three-foot-tall metal image with four limbs, a skull garland, and a protruding tongue, capped with a silver crown and long flowing hair that the devotee generally sees. Image dressed in a saree and adorned with crimson Gurhal and dark blue Apragita flower garlands. The kumkum is adorning the metal image's forehead. Priests administer a pinch of kumkum to the devotees' foreheads as a symbol of Tara's blessings.

Motherhood Form: Guru Vashistha once performed Tapasya for over 10,000 years to satisfy Goddess Tara.' Tara was happy with Vashistha and inquired as to his goal. Guru Vashista requested Tara to appear before him as a mother suckling Lord Shiva on her breast. Tara then took on its form and fashioned it into a stone image. Devotees can only glimpse this stone image during the first aarti at 4:00 a.m. in the morning. Devotees take water from priests who perform Devi's bathing with water and other items. In many respects, this water is miraculous.

The temple's history can be traced back to the time when Vashishta attempted to master the Tantrik Arts but failed despite his repeated attempts. This prompted him to pay a visit to Lord Buddha, who invited him to practice in Tarapith, which was an ideal spot for worshiping Ma Tara. Vashishta arrived at Tarapith and began to worship Ma Tara using the left-handed Tantrik ritual of Panchamakara, the five forbidden things. Ma Tara appeared in front of him in the appearance of a heavenly mother suckling Lord Shiva to her breast before turning to stone, pleased with his prayers. Tarapith has worshiped the deity's mother image since that time.

The goddess is represented by two images in the temple, Tarapith Mandir. Tara Maa's artwork is a fearsome goddess Kali with four hands wrapped in a skull garland and a protruding tongue. The artwork depicts a terrified expression, with a silver crown and flowing hair. The temple is well-known for having one of the most terrifying rites. The priests pay their respects with profound reverence. While it adheres to the unusual tantric technique of goddess worship, it also gives sacrifices of goats and other animals to the god, which is regarded as one of the most terrifying methods of goddess worship.

Rituals of Tarapith Mandir

Every morning before dawn, melodious Shehnai is played on the temple grounds to rouse the Goddess. A group of priests then opens the door to the Garbha Griba and washes her feet, cleans her room, and remakes her bed. Devotees pour ghee and honey into the idol before bathing it in the pristine water of Jivitkund. The idol is then adorned with a saree, vermillion, and a skull garland, after which the mangal aarti begins.

Another Pooja is held in the afternoon, during which rice is fed to the deity as part of Tantric ceremonies. The Anna Bhog given after this Puja comprises rice, sacrificed goat meat, rice pudding, fried fish, and five different dishes. Following the Anna Bhog, the temple is closed for a few hours to allow the deity to rest. The Sandhya Aarti begins in the evening, after which it is time to make the deity's bed.

Tarapith is thought to be the best location for Tantra Sadhana and Tantric practice. There are numerous Tantric huts and hermitages on the cremation ground, which is located on the bank of the River Dwarka. Under the banyan trees, there are many Tantric mud-clad cottages with thatched roofs. The site is feared because of the red-painted skulls embedded in the clay walls. To appease her wrath, the goddess Tara is said to be seen in the shadows consuming the blood of goats sacrificed at her altar every day. Tantric with ash on their faces are frequently observed in and around the temple. Tantrics drink liquor from good skulls - skulls of virgins and those who committed suicide are considered potent since the Atma or soul of those skulls has not attained freedom from the life cycle.

Tarapith Mandir is also known for the insane saint BamaKhepa, who is revered there. He used to dwell at the cremation grounds and perfected Yoga and Tantric art under the tutelage of Kailashpathi Baba, another well-known saint. Bama Khepa dedicated his life to Ma Tara's worship. His ashram is located near the temple.

A Mad Saint Bamakhepa’s devotion to Maa Tara 

BamaKhepa, a left-handed mad saint, studied Tantric spirituality through Sadhana at Tarapith and rose to become the temple's leader. It is stated that BamaKhepa (1837 AD - 1911 AD) likewise used to perform his worship with the left hand, and his spirituality caused him to act in an unnatural manner, thus his moniker.

Bamakhepa, whose full name was Bamacharan Chattopadhyay, was a Bengali saint who lived in the 18th century. He is well-known for his skill in Vamachara or Tantric Goddess worship. Because he was madly in love with his Goddess Tara, this tantric adept is also known as a mad saint.

He had lived a very pious life since his boyhood and was a fervent devotee of Maa Tara maa or Kali. He used to create Tara idols out of clay on his own and feed those idols. He enjoyed breaking into his neighbors' homes late at night, stealing their images of Gods and Goddesses, and transporting them to a riverside some distance away. He spent the entire night worshiping the images. When the locals couldn't find their family deities in the morning, they would raise a tremendous fuss. Bamakhepa was identified as the perpetrator, but no amount of reprimand from his parents could stop him from shooting the photos.

Bengali Shakta devotees tell a variety of stories about Vamaksepa. They claim he consumed booze and ate human flesh from corpses, possessed supernatural abilities, and lived his entire life in a state called Bhavavesa. His unique devotion to the image in the Tara temple, when he put his own urine in his hand and flung it at the image, saying, "This is the holy water of the Ganges," is perhaps the most frequently told account.

Bamakhepa, as a tantric saint, was accustomed to going around entirely naked. Someone once asked him, "Why are you naked?" "My Father Shiva is naked, and my Mother Tara is also naked," Bamakhepa responded. So I'm working on it. Furthermore, I am not a member of society. My Mother and I dwell in the cremation ground. So I'm not ashamed or afraid!"

The temple priests discovered Bamakhepa eating temple food before it was offered to Ma Tara one day. They were so upset with him that they stopped feeding him. The Maharani, or queen of Natore, had a weird dream four days following this incident. "I'm thinking about leaving this location," Ma Tara came to her. When I asked my favorite kid Bamakhepa to eat, the priests beat him and took his food away. How can I, his mother, eat first if my son does not?" When she awoke, the Queen commanded that Bamakhepa be eaten before Ma Tara from then on. Nobody tried to obstruct Bamakhepa after that.

The mad saint and Tarapith Goddess love became famed for his yogic talents, and people traveled from far and wide to see him. Some only wanted his blessings, while others wanted to be healed or aided in their time of need.

Tara Maa Mantra

Tara, the deity of accomplishments, is highly revered by businesses seeking success. According to Buddhists, Maa Tara is a loving, compassionate, peaceful, and vibrant young woman willing to help and protect. Tara is a terrifying deity who inspires fear. She is also irritable and dangerous. Tara-Mahavidya becomes kinder and more compassionate as the rosary is chanted with adequate purity and pure reverence. During the Sagar Manthan, Lord Shiva swallowed poison to preserve the world from destruction, according to ancient Hindu texts. However, Lord Shiva became unconscious as a result of the poison's strong and severe effect. Goddess Durga arrived as Tara at that point and saved Lord Shiva. Such is the result of worshiping Maa Tara and chanting the Salvation Mantra.

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Benefits of Ma Tara Mantra 

By heart, chants Mantra protect a person from the following,

• Jupiter's negative influence

• Unexpected terrible happenings

• Financial Uncertainty

• Business Failure

• Evil spirits and evil-eyed individuals

Tara's mantra is most helpful for healing, protection, or just accumulating positive karma since it resonates with universal forces of compassion and knowledge. The Tara mantra can be said while you are walking, driving, or in need. In more formal practice, the practitioner will imagine Her gorgeous form and utter Her ten-syllable mantra as many times as possible while reciting the mantra.

 Cryptic Mantras        

 “TRIM" 

Worship - Normally, wishes and aspirations are granted if the cryptic mantra or other mantras are sung 8,00000 times (eight lakhs) with complete trust and devotion.

 Mantra

 AIM OM HRIM KRIM HOOM PHAT 

Meditation

“matarnneela saraswati pranamatan saubhagya sampatprade pratyalidhapadasthite shavahridi smitannambhoruhe phullendee var lochane trinayane karti kapalotpale khadganchadadhati tvameva sharanantvamishvarimashraye”

If the goddess Tara is delighted, all of man's desires are accomplished and he is shielded from catastrophic tragedies.

Maa Tara does not require any particular initiations or procedures to enter your life. Simply call out Her name. Speak with Her like Saint Bamakhepa. She'll pay attention. Her disciples would present Her with clean water bowls every morning in more serious rituals. Tara does not require our offerings, but they do bring us merit—good karma. Simple water or any offer that does not stem from greed, killing, or other harmful deed is precious to Her. Water is "free," thus anybody, from pauper to prince, can make a small offering and share in Her bounties.