Fullara Travel Guide

Fullara Travel Guide. Shaktipeeth Fullara Travel Guide,

Fullara is one of the foremost Shakti Peeths or Sati Peeths located in Birbhum district of West Bengal.

Shakti Peeths are among the most sacred pilgrimage sites in Hinduism. According to popular belief, at the locations known as Shakti-Peeths, parts of the body of the goddess Sati (daughter of Daksha) in stone form lie preserved. Although generally 51 Shakti Peeths are spoken of, there are considerable differences in opinion among scriptures about their number and their locations. The Tantra-grantha Pithanirnaya Tantra counts 51.

One of the 51 Sati Peeths is the Fullara of Lavpur in Birbhum. According to the Pithanirnaya Tantra, here the upper lip (ūrdhva oṣṭha) of goddess Sati had fallen. In the Tantra Chūramani text, among the fifty-one Pithas, the 49th Pitha is Fullara of Lavpur. On the full moon day of Mâgh (the month of Mâgha) on the tṛyodashī tithi (13th lunar day) every year there is a special worship/ritual of the Mother.

Surrounded by trees on all four sides, Lavpur has a shaded environment. The temple of Goddess Fullara is a little away from the locality. Here the Mother is worshipped in a Brahma-stone (brahmasila). There is no idol of the goddess. A red-coloured stone slab shaped like a tortoise (kacchapakṛti) smeared with sindoor (vermillion) is worshipped as the form (pratibhu) of the goddess.

In the temple precinct lies the seat of Panchamundi. This Fullara Mahāpītha sits on 66 bighas of land. Around 742 AD the then Bengal-ruler Adiśura gifted Botgram and his son Vaśiṣṭha received Siddhal village (today’s Shital Gram). Vaśiṣṭha’s son Aṭṭahâsa was the first practising saint (sâdhaka) of this Sati Peeth. The then Lavpur was named Aṭṭahâsa after his name.

The original history of the temple is very glorious. The Siyan prashasti (inscription) reveals that the Naypala of the Pala dynasty or his son third Bigraha Pala (approx. 1027-70 AD) built this Attahasa temple, whose pinnacle had a golden kalasha whose rays looked like a second sun in the sky. Later during the reign of Dinmani Misra Bahadur the temple was destroyed, after which Krishnananda Giri built a small temple. That temple also became dilapidated and finally Jadaballal built the last temple.

During the invasion of India by Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, a group of Vedic Brahmins escaped from Kannauj under religious persecution and took refuge with the Bengal king Hari Barman. Around 1179 AD they were brought to this region. Due to transport and other difficulties, the worshippers settled in nearby habitations like Bakul, Phuliangar, Aṭṭahasa, etc. Later in that Brahmin lineage Dinmani Misra Bahadur became the Barman king. Near the Fullara temple the capital of Dinmani was established. Krishnananda Giri first established the Fullara temple. It is known that once the pinnacle had a ‘golden kalasha’. Near the temple there is a separate small temple for Lord Mahadev Viśveshvara; Mahadev Visveshvara resides close to the Fullara temple in the precinct.

The present Mother-temple is not very ancient; it has been newly rebuilt with restoration touches. In Bengali year 1302 (Bengali calendar) the local zamindar Jadaballal Bandopadhyay built this temple.

The temple courtyard is not very wide. In front of the sanctum there is a Nat Mandir (dance hall). In the Jagamohan stands the Hari kath (wooden pot). It is told that Maharaja Nandagiri from Kedarnath, having had a dream vision, came to Lavpur; at that time the area was covered by dense forest. There he discovered a stone-slab in the shape of a turtle in the forest and accordingly the temple was established. According to the goddess Fullara’s dream – revelation she directed worship in the Durga mantra.

This place in Birbhum district was known in ancient times as Attahasa. In the ‘Chandi’ (scripture) commentary it is said: “After the appearance of the goddess at Attahasa for the destruction of demons she split the sky; in triumph of the auspicious power over the inauspicious.”

Next to the temple there is a huge pond. According to legend, during Lord Rama’s Durga-puja (worship of Durga) Hanuman collected 108 lotuses from this pond. This body of water is called Debidaha or Daldali. It is said that this tank never dries up. Next to the temple is a cremation ground. Fullara is famed as an excellent place for tantric sadhana; from all over the country tantric practitioners have taken refuge here. Earlier there was a regular Shiva-bhoga (offering of a jackal) ritual at this temple.

This Peeth is located slightly away from inhabited area, atop a small red laterite (kankur) hill. Beneath the hill flows the north – wards – flowing Kopai river.

On the Punya-tithi of the full moon day of Magh in ancient times Maharaja Krishnananda Giri received special grace of the Mother.

Devotees come from far and wide to offer worship to the Mother. According to folk belief, if one prays to the goddess sincerely, one’s wishes are fulfilled. On the special day of worship crowds overflow; fairs are held.

In front of the temple there is a large field. On the full moon day of Magh a large fair is held. The fair started on the Magh full-moon date for reason: it is said that the sannyasi Krishnananda Giri of the Shrimati Shankaracharya Math of Bodh-Gaya, having received a dream-revelation of Mother-vision, came to Lavpur on the full moon of Magh. In the forest he discovered the turtle-shaped stone image of the Mother. For that reason every year on the full moon of Magh a special worship of the Mother is held. Thus the Fullara fair also starts every year on the Magh full-moon. Though the fair officially runs from 3 Phalguna, the hom-yajna (fire-ritual) starts from 1 Phalguna. The daily Chandi-paṭh (recitation of Chandi scripture) by Tarada­s Bhattacharya of Darka and Ishan Bhattacharya of Chouhatta reverberates in the sanctum.

Every year on the full moon of Magh, on the tṛyodashi tithi the Mother’s special puja is held. Every day there is a distribution of food (annabhoga). Every day the goddess is offered sour fish (mas tork) (i.e., fish in sour preparation). In exchange for a small prasadam-token, anyone may receive the prasadam. Both non-vegetarian and vegetarian offerings are made. The Mother’s offerings include fish, meat, two kinds of vegetables, sour dish, five types of fried items and other items.

Special worship is held at Fullara on every new-moon (amavasya) day.

Visiting hours: The temple opens at 5:30 a.m. and closes at 10:00 p.m. On these times puja may be performed.

Location: Shakti Peeth Fullara is situated on the banks of the Kopai River at Lavpur in Birbhum district of West Bengal. (Pincode: 731303)

How to reach: Lavpur is situated about 28-30 km from Bolpur Shantiniketan. From Lavpur station go about 1¼ km north-east to the Fullara Peeth. One may hire a car or a toto (three-wheeler) from the station to reach the Fullara temple.

From Bolpur there are two roads to reach Lavpur. First: Bolpur → Loghata → Lavpur road takes about one hour. Second: NH 114 route then Nanur Chandidas road and then Loghata-Lavpur road, also about one hour.

If coming from another state or abroad, fly to Kolkata or Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. From there the Fullara temple is approx. 200 km. Then hire a car or from Howrah or Sealdah station board a train to Bolpur. The nearest railway station is Lavpur. Many trains run from Bolpur to Lavpur.

When to go: You can visit Fullara temple at any time. However, winter, monsoon and autumn are the most suitable seasons for travel. Right in front of the temple there is a large field; on the full moon day of Mâgh the great fair is held. Also special puja on every new-moon day (amavasya) is held at Fullara.

Nearby places of interest:
Fullara is not far from Bolpur, so it is easy to travel from Bolpur. Hence other nearby attractions from Bolpur can also be visited.

– The Saturday market of Sonajhuri

– Tharapeeth

– Khoai Garden

– Amar Kutir

– Vishva Bharati University

– Srijoni artisan village

– Chatim Tala

– Rabindra Bhavan

– Gitanjali Cinema Hall

– Saturday market at Khoai

– Shayar Bithi Park

– Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary

– Prakriti Bhavan

– Sangeet Bhavan

– Sonajhuri Forest

– Kala Bhavan

– Path Bhavan

– Vidya Bhavan

– Tanzil India

– Surul Rajbari

– Uttaraoyan

– Echai Ghosh’s Deul

– Kankalitala

– Dhatri Devta (house of Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay)

Where to stay?
At Fullara there are few places to stay and eat. Bolpur is only 30 km away. Therefore most tourists stay at Bolpur Shantiniketan. There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses there.

Travel to Fullara:
You can travel from Kolkata to Fullara. Fullara is close to Bolpur. One can visit Fullara on the same day from Kolkata. Or take a one-night/two-day or a two-night/three-day package tour including Fullara. Also a packaged tour combining Fullara with other Sati Peeths can be organized.

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