Kalyaneshwar Shiva Temple, Bally

Kalyaneshwar Shiva Temple is located by the side of the Grand Trunk Road in Bally of Howrah district. The Hooghly river flows near the temple. It is also close to Belur Math. History says that the temple is pretty old, more than six hundred years ago.

Previously this area was a dense forest. The local king or zamindar got a dream and accordingly for setting up the temple he donated the necessary land. It was said that Dayaram Bose set up a small temple here and engaged the local four Brahmin families as sebayiths and, they are looking after the temple.

Ramakrishna Paramahansa visited this temple on a number of occasions and offered puja to Shiva. Paramahansadev, on one occasion said to Hriday “that Shiva linga was a living deity and actually moving”. On another occasion when he was accompanied by Swami Brahmananda Ramkrishnadev “went into an ecstatic mood” Swami Vivekanananda and Swami Brahmananda also visited this temple. The monks of Ramkrishna Math and Mission still make it a point to come here on a daily basis and offered puja to Lord Shiva. Every Monday the monks from Belur Math come here and offered special puja.

The main festival here is Shivaratri, which is celebrated here with much pomp and gaeity. Other festivals are Nil Sasthi and Charak. A fair is also held here during the Charak festival and “jhap” (jump) are performed. “Dhuno porano” is a special attraction here. Many people from far off places came here to offer puja to Kalyaneshwar. Bhog is offered to Lord Shiva in the morning and in the evening. Sandha arati is performed during the evening.

Apart from the Shiva Temple, there are also other temples like that of Siddheshwari Kali,

Basudev, Narayan, Ganesh. Many people came here to offer puja to other gods and goddesses. One will hear the sounds of kashar ghanta (one type of bell rung during the pujas) in the evening. The present idol of Kali is made of kasthi pathar (touchstone). Originally the old temple along with the idol was destroyed in a violent storm in 1865. The present idol is placed in panchamundi ashan in the day of Kali Puja (4th Kartick, 1317) and is more than a century old. Regular puja is performed here.

Reference:

Udbodhan, Falgun 1419, Second issue.

I am also being helped in this by Sri Samar Roychowdury, Bally, Howrah.

Date of Posting: 14th March, 2018.