Sadhguru says Ananda Bhairavi is the ecstatic union of cosmic consciousness and primal power, where bliss transcends the boundaries of existence.
Article | Bandel | June 23, 1992
Sadhguru: In Bengal's rich tapestry of temple architecture, a rare and majestic form stands out: the twenty-five-spired “Panchavimsati-Ratna” temples, of which only six remain. Each of these temples is a testament to Bengal’s architectural innovation and deep spiritual heritage, with their distinctive multi-tiered towers reaching skyward in honour of the divine. Among the most renowned is the Anandamayi Kali Temple in Sukharia, Hooghly, built by the influential Mustafi family. This article explores the unique history, spiritual significance, and captivating legends surrounding these rare temples, with a particular focus on the revered Anandamayi Kali Temple, where artistry and devotion intertwine, creating a spiritual marvel admired across centuries.
Ananda Bhairavi, a revered manifestation in the realm of Nigam Tantra in ancient Bengal, represents the epitome of divine femininity and ecstatic consciousness. In the tantric traditions, Ananda Bhairavi is not only worshipped as a goddess but revered as the embodiment of boundless bliss and profound power. The term "Ananda" signifies bliss, while "Bhairavi" denotes a fierce and fearless feminine force, embodying the union of nurturing grace and transcendental power.
To invoke Ananda Bhairavi is to awaken the fierce, boundless joy within, a journey through Tantra to the heart of divine femininity.
Ancient Bengal, a region steeped in Tantra, housed several mystic traditions where Ananda Bhairavi held a prominent position within Nigam Tantra practices. Nigam Tantra emphasizes the worship of primal energies and often aligns with practices that focus on Shakti, the feminine divine power. Ananda Bhairavi, within this context, is not just a deity but the awakened state of consciousness that devotees strive to attain—a form of pure ecstasy beyond the transient states of human emotion.
Rituals dedicated to Ananda Bhairavi were deeply symbolic, often involving the use of sacred geometry, mantras, and specific mudras that align with her energy. Devotees in ancient Bengal would engage in elaborate rites, with tantric practitioners performing rituals designed to harness and internalize her energy. These rituals were believed to activate the “Kundalini” within the practitioner, allowing them to rise through their chakras to reach an ecstatic union with the divine, personified as Ananda Bhairavi. She is often visualized in the centre of a lotus, bathed in a fiery yet radiant light, representing both the grounding and transformative forces of creation.
"Ananda Bhairavi dances at the edge of creation and dissolution, her essence both a cradle of bliss and a flame of transformation.
Temples dedicated to her worship, like the Anandabhairavi Temple in Sukharia, encapsulate these tantric ideals in their architectural design. Such temples were structured to mimic the divine body of Ananda Bhairavi, where the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha) is seen as her heart, and each ascending spire represents her spiritual elevation and the practitioner's journey to bliss. The iconography in these temples often depicts Ananda Bhairavi as a four-armed goddess, symbolizing her mastery over the four directions and elements, seated atop Shiva, representing the union of cosmic consciousness and primal energy.
Through Nigam Tantra, Ananda Bhairavi stands as a guide and a goal—a divine force embodying the cycle of creation and dissolution. Her worship in ancient Bengal was not merely an act of devotion but a transformative spiritual pursuit, offering devotees a path to transcend suffering and experience the eternal bliss that she personifies. This reverence for Ananda Bhairavi resonates through centuries, marking her as an undying symbol of Bengal's tantric spirituality.
Devi Ananda Bhairavi
In Bengal, only six temples boast the unique architectural feature of having twenty-five spires, known as “Panchavimsati-ratna” or twenty-five-gem structures. Among these, three are located in Ambika Kalna, Burdwan. Additionally, there is the Anandamayi Kali Temple in Sukharia, Hooghly district; the Sridhar Temple in Sonamukhi, Bankura district; and the Raghunath Temple in Nashipur, Murshidabad district. Notably, Bengal has only one Kali temple with twenty-five spires.
In the temple of Ananda Bhairavi, every spire reaches skyward, mirroring the soul’s ascent through Tantra towards union with the divine.
The ancestral home of the Mustafi family was in Birnagar, Nadia district. Due to a falling-out with Raja Krishnachandra, the Mustafi family left Birnagar and settled under Tilakchand Bahadur, the ruler of Burdwan, in Sukharia village within the undivided Burdwan district. Birendra Mitra Mustafi, the then-zamindar of Sukharia, was childless and invested one lakh rupees in 1813 to construct the twenty-five-spired Anandamayi Kali Temple, where he enshrined the idol of Anandamayi Kali as his “daughter.”
Inside the temple’s sanctum, Shiva is represented in a reclining pose on a wooden throne, with his two hands raised towards his head. Facing Shiva, Anandamayi sits on a “panchamunda” seat, a symbol of the primal forces. She is adorned with a silver crown and has four arms, with her idol crafted from kashtipathar (a type of dark stone), standing nearly three feet tall. Worshipped as Bhairavi, she embodies the essence of the Mother of the Universe. Established on the seventh day of the waxing moon in the month of Magh in the Bengali year 1170, Anandamayi’s worship continues daily, with aarti rituals in the morning and evening.
Ananda Bhairavi’s presence in Nigam Tantra teaches that true bliss is neither fleeting nor worldly but the eternal dance of cosmic love.
Folklore speaks of a golden-nosed fish in the adjacent pond, a symbol of the temple’s prosperity. The temple’s structure is tiered, with the spires set in a distinctive pattern: the first level holds twelve spires at each corner, the second has eight spires with two at each corner, the third tier has four spires with one at each corner, and the pinnacle has a single spire, totalling twenty-five in all. Near Sukharia’s famed Anandabhairavi Temple lies Anandamayi Dighi (pond). This south-facing Anandabhairavi Temple, featured in Mrinal Sen’s film Akaler Sandhane, stands approximately 78 feet tall. Birendra Mustafi reportedly spent over a lakh rupees on its construction, and here, the stone deity Kali sits upon Shiva’s chest.
The soul’s journey in Nigam Tantra finds its fulfillment in Ananda Bhairavi, where every ritual becomes a step towards inner liberation.
In 1897, a major earthquake damaged the top five spires, which were subsequently reconstructed. The temple walls feature exquisite terracotta panels depicting Radha-Krishna, the lion-riding Goddess, Ganesh-Janani, Ramraja, and other deities. Additionally, scenes such as Krishna slaying Bakasur, Putana, and Kamsa, the subjugation of Kaliya, pastoral amusements, and the worship of Shivling are vividly portrayed in its sculptures.
In front of the Anandabhairavi Temple, there are two five-spired (Pancha Ratna) temples positioned on a north-south axis, along with five smaller “Aatchala” temples on each side. Over time, the temples on the east side have tilted slightly due to natural causes, while the first Pancha Ratna temple on the west houses a Ganesh idol, with the remaining eleven temples enshrining Shiva in various forms, including eight black and three white Shivlings.
Besides the Anandabhairavi Temple, Sukharia is home to other significant temples established by the Mustafi family, such as the Navaratna Harasundari Kalibari, Nistarini Kalibari, and the ancient Siddheshwari Kali Temple. Yet, the Anandabhairavi Temple remains one of Hooghly's finest historical
