The historical ancient Aparna (Bhabanipur) Shakti Peeth temple situated at Bhabanipur village of Bhabanipur union under Sherpur upazila in Bogra district of Bangladesh. This is a Shaktipeeth of the Hindu community known as Bhabanipur Shaktipeeth or Aparna Shaktipeeth. This Shaktipeeth is also called as Bamatalpa in the Indian subcontinent. Aparna Shaktipeeth is one of the fifty-one Shaktipeeths of Deity Sati.
Bhavanipur village located on the banks of the ancient Kartoa (now defunct) river, about 40 km away from Bogra district town and 15 km from Sherpur upazila headquarters, is known as Aparna (Bhavani Sakthipeeth) or pilgrimage site to the Hindus in this subcontinent.
In the Satya Yuga ( True age), when Deity Sati Mata left her body after a Dhakkha Yajgha, Lord Shiva took Sati’s dead body on his shoulders and began the global deluge dance, while Lord Vishnu Dev cut Sati’s dead body with Sudarshan Chakra.
In this, the body’s parts of Sati Mata fell in different places of the Indian subcontinent and all these places came to be known as Shaktipeeth.
According to various sources, Sati Mata Tara’s left leg ornament or left rib or right eye or bed is said to have fallen at Bhavanipur village in Karatoya Tat.
Bhavanipur is one of the famous Shakti Peeth in Bangladesh and Indian subcontinent. Devotees from all over the country irrespective of caste, creed and caste come here on pilgrimage throughout the year.
It is said that here once a Shankhawala (conch-maker) was crossing the edge of a pond in the deep forest on the edge of Bhavanipur temple. At that time, a small girl wearing vermilion came and told him that she was the daughter of the temple’s priest.
She bought a pair of conch-shells from a conch-seller saying that the conch-seller would tell the temple’s priest to pay for his conch-shells from the coin kept in the temple kuthuri (basket). The conch-seller was impressed by the humble words of the girl and gave her the conchs and he asked the temple priest to pay for it. But the temple’s priest found coins in the basket as he told hearing from the said girl, responded him that he didn’t have any child and asked him to go to the place where from the said girl brought conchs. But both of them didn’t find this girl. After listening to the conch-seller’s prayer, Mother Bhavani ( Ma Tara) appeared in that pond with her red hands covered with conchs. The people present there, including the temple’s priest and conch seller, were surprised to observe it. Since then the name of this pond as Shankha ( Conch) pond had spread in the subcontinent. Traditionalists believe that bathing in this pond will fulfill desires of the devotees.
Thousands of Hindu devotees including men and women gathered in the temple premises and performed worship after bathing in the Shankhari pond.
The deities of this Shaktipeeth are known as Aparna and Bhairava Bamesh or Baman.
The boundary Wall of the temple premises on four acres (12 bighas) of land. Main Temple, Belbaran Floor, 4 Shiva Temples, Patal Bhairava Shiva Temple, Gopal Temple, Vasudeva Temple and Nath Temple/Atchala. In the northern parts are the Seva Angan, the sacred conch pond, three bathing ghats, four Shiva temples outside the enclosure wall and a Panchmund Asana.
The ancient temple is dilapidated by age. The roof of the guest house has collapsed. All kinds of vines have grown freely on the walls and inside. The top of the boundary wall is undulating. The craftsmanship that was in it is covered in dust and algae that have accumulated for many days.
Eight small and big temples are set up in the shade of fruit-forest trees on 1.62 acres of the area. Ghatbandha is a large pond to the north of the boundary wall. Very nice scenery. The pond next to the temple is about three acres.
The left rib bone of deity Sati was found in Bhavanipur. This seat is called ‘Bamatalpa’ because the left side rib falls here.
Bhavanipur is a holy place for Hindus. Here are the ruins of a temple built by the Maharaja ( the King) of Natore Bhabanipur Estate. But this place is more ancient. Ruins of many ancient forts and emirates and reservoirs can be seen here.
The areas around the temple is densely populated. Nevertheless, traces of building ruins, brick fragments and ponds remain reminders of the ancient ( olden) days.
Pilgrims come here twice a year. One day festival or puja on the full moon of Magha month. There are three days of worship on Ashtami, Navami and Dasami of Chaitra month. Then a crowded fair is held around the temple. Devotees bathe in the pond. Many devotees come from different parts of the country and even from India for attending the Basanti Puja. Apart from this, devotees flock throughout the year to offer vows and worship in person. The renovation work is going on with the money given by the devotees. The main temple is called ‘Ma Bhavani Mandir’. It has been newly constructed. Ceramic tiling is being installed in the front yard. Guest house is being constructed. But the work is progressing slowly.
Among other temples, the Tarakeswar temple has a dome-shaped pinnacle on the chauchala roof. The edge of the roof is curved like a bow like the roof of a Bengal house. Nice build Dakshineswar Shiv Mandir, Pingeshwar Shiv Mandir are the smaller of the two. Octagonal The temple of Bamesh Bhairar is of the size of a single storied house. Apart from this there are Gopal Mandir and Vasudeva Mandir. Shiva idols and religious symbols are carved on the walls and peaks of these temples.
The king of Natore Bhabanipur Estate established the temple in 1745. As per the appointment of the King or Maharaja, he is serving as a hereditary Naib. Regularly doing divine service. Natore’s queen mother Bhavani is said to visit here twice a year with an elephant.
Dilip Kumar Dev, executive member of the temple management committee and Apoorva Chakraborty, caretaker of the temple, said that Raja or king of Natore Bhavanipur State
declared and donated 262 acres of land in the name of this temple in different areas of Natore, Sirajganj and Bogra districts of the country.
It is learned that hundreds acres of land of the temple or Devottar Property has been occupied by some influentialmen. At present, the temple has about 100 bighas of land, said the above two members of the temple committee.
After the creation of Pakistan, when the Government of Pakistan enacted the Tenancy Act, Maharaja ( King) Birendranath Roy Bahadur of Natore Bhavanipur State donated 186.52 acres of land as choice land in the name of the temple which was deeded as Devatvor’s property in 1954 by the Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner in the Miscase No. 60 through the registry.
Earlier, about 76 acres of land was declared as deity’s property outside this deed, said Dilip Kumar Dev, executive member of the temple management committee. It should be noted that the puja-archana ( Worship ) was going on in this Shaktipeeth from ancient time.
In the 1960 AD, the Government of Pakistan recorded the entire property as Khas in Khatian No. 1 of DC, including the main temple.
In the 1990s, the Shaktipeeth Managing Committee won a case in the Bogra Judge Court.
The government appealed to the High Court and the Supreme Court for review. The hon. Supreme Court reviewed ruled 17.31 acres of land in favor of the temple as deity property.
Currently two cases are continued in Bogra Judge Court regarding 70.62 acres of land.
On the other hand, another case is ongoing in Sirajganj Judge Court regarding 74 acres of land.
After the 90s, many development activities have been conducted in this Satipeeth by the Shaktipeeth Management Committee.
Over the past three years, the Shakti Peetha Management Committee has conducted development work on eight dilapidated temples, bordering ancient constructions worth over taka.
A boundary wall of 615 meters, Singhdwar or Entrance gate and a service hall for about 1000 people have been constructed at a cost of 20 lakh taka.
Committee member Dilip Kumar Dev also said that the committee has massive plans to renovate the temple. About Five crores of taka will be spent for this development works. Executive member Dilip Kumar Dev said that the work on the main temple of Deity Aparna, construction of another bathing ghat and other development works of the temple will be carried out.
A VIP office room was built around 2017. About 100 people can sit together in this room. In 2022, State Bank of India provided furnitures spending lakhs of rupees for this office room.
On 13 February 2007, joint forces reportedly attacked the temple’s guest house, the Naib’s house and the temple gate. The temple committee raised a complaint to the various places and asked for a remedy in this regard. Later, the Zilla Parishad ( Office of the Deputy Commissioner) built a rest house with government grants.
The country’s leading national daily Prothom Alo published a report on 06 August 2014 that a vast land property of Bhavanipur Shakti Peeth has been grabbed by some miscreants. Litigations are also going on. But recovery is difficult.
Hindu devotees are hoping that the government will help recover the occupied lands from the clutches of the influential land grabbers and renovate of this ancient structure and religious auspicious place.
