Disciple:
Gurudev, when we talk about Birbhum, we mainly think of Tarapith. But there are many other forms of the Mother there, right?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, there is Phullara, Attahas, and many others. There is Bakula, Nalatshwari... quite a few. Anyway, tell me.
Disciple:
Gurudev, people don't know much about the Guhya Kali of Akalipur, and there aren't many ways to find out. If you could tell us a bit about her…
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Oh, she is fearsome! She is extremely intense. To say anything about her… she is truly powerful and fierce. Once, Bama Khepa (Saint Bama) went there. Upon seeing the Mother, he said, "This girl is incredibly intense. Who can possibly worship her?" There are no specific mantras or tantras found for her.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Maharaja Nandakumar's son, Gurudas, established her. She was placed under a banyan tree on an eight-step platform. At each step, a sacrifice was made—sometimes a gourd, sometimes a goat, and it is said that even human sacrifices were performed in those eight steps. After that, there are three more steps. It is impossible for someone like me to explain the depth of this.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When Bama Khepa saw her, he was struck by her intensity. You know about the regions of Anga, Banga, and Kalinga—Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. She was perhaps found during the time of Bimbisara or Ashoka, or even during the time of Jarasandha, the King of Magadha. Both possibilities exist.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
During the British era, while digging the earth, the idol was discovered. It is made of solid black stone (Kasti Pathar). She has only two hands, and she is covered in snakes. Her hair consists of snakes; her earrings are snakes—one is Takshak and the other is Ananta Nag.
Disciple:
It is said she gave birth to children from her ears?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Some say there are children, but there are definitely two snakes as earrings. As I said, Takshak and Ananta Nag. It is written in the Chandi that Madhu and Kaitabha emerged from Vishnu's earwax. Similarly, Karna was born from Kunti's ear. This Mother also gives birth through her ears. She is so intense and fearsome that traditional worship is difficult. She sits entirely upon snakes. Her whole body is entwined with them. Even her hair is like the tails of snakes. She wears a sacred thread made of a serpent (Nag-Yajna Paita).
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
She looks exquisite when dressed in a red-bordered sari. When the idol was first discovered during the British rule, Warren Hastings heard about it and tried to take it away. But Maharaja Nandakumar stopped his ship at Nimtala Ghat and recovered the idol. Later, as you may know, Nandakumar was hanged on August 5, 1775, at Khidirpur.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
After his hanging, people stopped visiting the temple out of fear. It became overgrown with weeds and jungles. Even his relatives were afraid to touch it because Nandakumar was hanged shortly after establishing the temple. They feared the Mother's intensity.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
His son, Gurudas, looked after it for a while but eventually left it. People developed a belief that the Mother herself was responsible for Nandakumar's fate. Recently, the temple has been renovated, and the area under the banyan tree where she resides has been cleared. She is 'Bali-Priya'—she loves sacrifices.
Disciple:
It is said there are 108 steps from the banyan tree to the temple?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, and a sacrifice was made at every step. Even now, there are no hotels or places to stay nearby. There are only a couple of shops that sell offerings. No one dares to stay there at night. It is just like the Attahas or Chinnamasta temples—the energy is too intense to spend the night there. Recently, I heard they installed some lights, and people from Kolkata come to perform Havans and Yagnas in the open fields. I was requested to go, but I refused. I am afraid of her power.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
"Guhya" means that which is hidden or dark. That is why she is called Guhya Kali. It is very difficult for an ordinary person to understand her. Even a great saint like Bama Khepa acknowledged her fierce nature.
Disciple:
Gurudev, we see her sitting on a snake instead of Shiva. What is the explanation for that?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We often compare her to Chinnamasta, who is also very fierce. It's difficult for any practitioner to control this energy. (Shows a picture) Look at this—I bought this a long time ago. Look at her crown, covered in a thousand snakes. Her sacred thread is a snake. This suggests she might have been a serpent deity at some point. It is a piece of history that no one can fully explain.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
She has only two hands and two feet. There is no Mahakala or Bhairava beneath her feet. She stands alone. You should go and see for yourself; it is a remarkable sight, though fearsome.
Disciple:
And the fact that she was found underground...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, she was unearthed. Whether from the time of Bimbisara or Jarasandha, she is ancient. The black stone idol is unique. She carries no weapons. The Nag-Paita she wears is radiant.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
People generally feel a sense of fear when they hear the name Kali, but this Mother is on another level. I have seen many forms of Kali, but she truly frightens me. She is "Guhyati Guhya"—the secret of secrets.
Disciple:
Thank you, Gurudev.