About three thousand acres of land of Chandranath Dham, one of the main pilgrimage sites for Sanatan people of the world have been grabbed by some influential people and some ancient temples like a Barabkunda and Labanakkha shrines have already ruined and merged with the around for not renovation.
This Chandranath Dham which also called a Shakti Peeth, is situated at Sitakunda upazilla in Chittagong district of Bangladesh.
According to sanatan mythology, Lord Sri Ramachandra, Lakshman, Sita Devi, Maharishi Vyasdev and numerous God’s and Goddesses and Muni Rishis stayed here for ages. Devadidev Mahadeva ( Lord Shiva) himself appeared here.
Chandranath Dham ( Shakti Peeth) located on top of the 350 metres high Chandranath hill, is a famous Shakti Peeth of Bangladesh where, as per Hindu sacred texts, the right arm of Goddess Sati fell. Sitakunda Chandranath Dham or Shakti Peeth is a holy place of pilgrimage site for the Sanatan religious people around the world.
There are two idols here, one is of Devi Sati and called as Bhavani. The other murti or idol in this temple is of Lord Shiva Known as the Chandrashekhar. This particular word is depicted for all those individuals who have got a moon at the crown or at the top of their head. As per the belief of many local people, Lord Shiva himself has committed to visit Chandrasekhar Mountain during Kali Yoga. The temple is beautifully made with marble structures and arts.
Hindu scriptures state that Sati was the main spouse of Shiva as the primary manifestation of Parvati. She was the little girl of King Daksha and Queen (the little girl of Brahma).
She submitted self-immolation at the conciliatory fire of a yagna performed by her dad Daksha as she felt genuinely upset by her dad’s affront of her significant other and furthermore to her by not welcoming them two for the yagna.
Shiva was so lamented in the wake of becoming aware of the passing of his significant other that he moved far and wide in a Tandav Nritya (“decimating atonement” or move of pulverization) conveying Sati’s dead body over his shoulders. Irritated by this circumstance and so as to carry Shiv to a condition of regularity, it was then Vishnu who chose to utilized his Sudarshan Chakra (the pivoting knifes carried on at the tip of his finger). He dissected Sati’s body with the chakra into a few pieces and any place her body fell on the earth, Each of 51 bits of the body tumbled to earth, and where each piece fell turned into a blessed focus of journey or Shakti Peetha.
These areas have turned out to be celebrated journey places. Sati is otherwise called Devi or Shakthi, and with gifts of Vishnu, she was renewed as the little girl of Himavat or Himalayas and henceforth named as Parvati (girl of mountains). She was conceived on the fourteenth day of the brilliant portion of the long stretch of Mrigashīrsha, which denotes the Shivarathri (Shiva’s night) celebration.
Monasteries and temples (Math & Mandirs) of Labanakkha shrine, an integral part of Chandranath Dham for Sanatan people in Sitakunda are about to be disappeared.
Ancient temples have ruined and mixed with trees and soil as these have not been renovated since their establishment. Special parts of the temples have already been wiped out. As a result, the existence of the pilgrimage is in crisis.
Hindus believe that even after doing visit all the pilgrimage sites in the world, if one does not visit Chandranath Dham, the pilgrimage is not completed. Again this Chandranath Mahatirtha has three integral parts.To the north, Labanakkha at Chota Darogar Hat and Barbanal of Barbakund in the south.
If one comes to visit the Chandranath Tirtha, he must visit Labanakkha and Barabanal at the same time. Otherwise Chandranath Darshan will akso remain incomplete.
Labanakkha and Barbanal are equally important along with Chandranath. But due to lack of publicity, many traditional religious people are not aware of these facts.
Although there’s campaign about Chandranath Dham, no campaign about Labanakkha and Barbanal was found.
According to sources, Labanakkha and Barbanal are integral parts of Chandranath Dham, but they have separate Mohantas.
It’s income and expenses also depend on each mohanta ( Priest). As a result, They only think about part what they lead. No one takecares whether the other part remains or is lost.
On the other hand, due to the easy transportation system in the town, Devotees visit the Chandranath throughout the year, but the number of pilgrims is less at the Labanakkha and Barbnal.
Only on some special dates like Shiva Chaturdashi, Dul Purnima, the devotees bathe here. But although these are very important from the religious point of view, no one is worried about the development of these shrines. And after being neglected for a long time, the monasteries and temples of Labanakkha Tirtha are going to be disappeared. Labanakkha Temple, Brahma Kund, Suryakunda and Agnikund Temples at Labanakkha Tirtha located at Chhota Darogar Hat are on the verge of extinction. These are difficult to find. The Labanakkha Temple is no longer as temple’s status. Most parts of temples are now ruined under hilly trees and soil while excavated construction of reservoirs.
And although the front part can be seen. At present, there is no atmosphere for worshiping there. As a result, there is no longer regular worship. The same case with other temples is found. Even it is now difficult to find Brahmakunda, Suryakunda and Agnikunda.
Labanakkha Tirtha has land of 30 acres. About 16 to 17 acres of this pilgrimage site have been occupied by some influentialmen. Three acres of land were recovered after conducting the case for eleven years. The other cases for recovery of other property are going on.
Barabkunda Thirtha Dham ( Pilgrimage Site) is an ancient Hindu temple located at Barbakunda at Sitakunda in Chittagong District. It is also known as Barabkunda Agnikunda because of the natural fire burning in the water at the bottom of the temple for hundreds of years.
In 2021, A young man climbed to the top of the temple and gave azan and posted it on his Facebook ID.
When there was a big storm on social media about this, the police arrested the two youths.
Recently , the movement of non-Hindus has increased alarmingly in this pilgrimage site of the Hindus.
A post on Facebook about organizing a barbecue party has been reported on social media which has started a lot of uproar.
On 30 December 2023, A clash occurred between Hindu devotees and non- Hindu people near the temple. At least 10 people were injured in clash.
The Daily Chattragram Protidin and Amader Somoy covered a news in this regard, but top level online news portals, print and electronic media remained silent to cover the report in this connection.
At present, a section of religious fundamentalists have been spreading propaganda against the oldest pilgrimage site Chandranath Dham for the last few months to destroy communal harmony.
Sanatan pilgrims alleged that there are some shops at the Dham premises that have been set up “illegally”.
Many Hindus expressed their concerns over the existence of the Chandranath Dham and raised question about the weakness and poor leadership of the shrine committee.
On 1 January 2024, More than 150 Sanatan Saints led by Chinmoy Brahmachari, the principal of Chittagong Prandirik Dham and later a group of leaders and activists of Bangladesh Hindu Mahajut led by the General Secretary of Sri Gobind Chandra Pramanik visited various areas of Chandranath Dham and spoke to the newsmen in this regard.
Sri Sri Chandranath Dham Raksha Parishad ( Protect Council) and Barbakunda Thirtha Dham Development Committee organized a press conference at S Rahman hall room of Chittagong Press Club on 3 February 2024
in protest against the communal incitement campaigns on social media, attempts to desecrate the sanctity of the Chandranath Dham, a holy pilgrimage site for Sanatan religious people.
Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, convener of both the organisations, read out a written statement.
A group of Hindu community people demanded a ban on tourists at Chandranath Dham in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram.
The area is a sacred pilgrimage site for the community but now-a-days, a large number of tourists are travelling there, they said.
Only devotees and worshipers should be allowed to visit the area for performing rituals and religious purposes, they demanded.
They came up with a 10-point demand at a press conference organised by Shri Shri Chandranath Dham Rakhkha Parishad and Barabkunda Tirtho Dham Unnayan Committee at Chattogram Press Club.
The Barabkunda Dhama’s priest and worshipers came under attack by miscreants a few days ago, he said.
The attack was carried out to intimidate them as part of a conspiracy hatched by some local influential people to grab the land of the Barabkunda Dham, he alleged.
When asked over phone, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, Convener of Chandranath Dham Raksha Parishad and Barbakunda Tirth Dham Development Committee and Principal of Pundrik Dham told that about three thousand acres of land of the Chandranath Dham have been occupied by some influentialmen.
He also blamed that Jatiya Party Joint Secretary General Didarul Alam Didar for making an attack on the priests and trying to grab more 1.5 acres of land from the debottar property of the Barbakunda shrine.
There are about 18 acres of land land in the Barabkunda shrine and about 10 acres of land were already grabbed, it’s alleged by Chinmoy Bhrammachary
On the other hand, Some murties ( Idols) of Five temples of Barabanal shrine were vandalized and Hanuman murti ( Idol) stolen by some miscreants at dead of night on 8 February 2024.
A few days ago of this incident, a gang of land grabbers attacked the priests and worshipers of Barbkunda Jalamukhi Shree Vigraha Mandir and threatened the priests with a view to occupying land.
A case has been filed with the Sitakunda police in this regard.
