Maa Tarini Brata Katha Odia
Maa Tarini Brata is the presiding deity for all Shakti and Tantra peeths or shrines in Odisha. The origin of Shakti or worship of the Earth as a female embodiment of power is found across many cultures all over the world. In Odisha which has a high density of tribal population whose religious practices have been assimilated into the mainstream Hindu faith, the worship of natural formations such as rocks, tree trunks, rivers is widespread among the tribes.
Maa Tarini is always depicted as a red face with two large eyes and a mark in the middle which serves as an indication for a nose and also a tilak. This primitive conception is symbolic of the simplicity of tribal beliefs and ceremonies. The red colour has been attributed to dyes made out of iron ores or ocher which are quite plentiful in the state and would thus have been used by the tribes for anointing and decorating the sacred figures of worship. The ornate letters in the background mean “Maa” or Mother in the Odia language. They were a much later addition although the Odia script did change very slightly over the millennia.
Tarini Brata Katha Odia
Tarini brata is observed on shukla pakshya chaturthi in the lunar month Ashada. Tarini is one of the embodiments of Shakti. Though she is worshipped at many places, her main pitha (shrine) is at Ghatagaon in Keonjhar district. People have great faith in her divinity and
apart of worshipping her on Mangalabaras (Tuesdays) and Sanibaras (Saturdays), women observe the brata to get rid
of any troubles and fulfilment of their desires. They observe upabasha and worship the goddess. Some tie a red thread
on the arm. The brata is a regional brata and is observed at places of Tarini temples.
Tara-Tarini yatra: – Another yatra held in Berhampur city on the Tuesdays of lunar month Chaitra is Tara-Tarini yatra or Chaitra parba or mela. The temple of Tara-Tarini is situated about thirty-two kilometres from the Berhmapur town on the Kumahari hills (also known as Tara-Tarini hill) on the bank of the river Rushikulya. About thousand steps and also a pucca road lead to the temple. A small market complex sells items of puja and archana.
The place is said to be another shakti peetha68. The goddesses Tara and Tarini are represented by two stone idols adorned with gold and silver ornaments. Two brass heads,known as their chalanti pratima (representative idols) are placed between them. On the yatra days, the temple remains open from midnight of Monday until midnight of the Tuesday. The midday pahada (siesta) of the goddesses is suspended. Lakhs of devotees come to worship the goddesses on fulfilment of their manasika (mental vow). Many perform the mundan of
their children and offer a lock of hair to the goddesses.
There are many myths and stories about the goddesses. According to one, once Adi Shakti appeared as two sisters (Tara and Tarini) in the house of one Basu Praharaj of a nearby village who was a great devotee of Adi Shakti. The couple being childless looked after them as their own daughters. After living in their house for a few years, the sisters suddenly disappeared. Praharaj searched for them but could not find.
Then one night they appeared in his dream and said that they were not his daughters but Adi Shakti -Tara and Tarini. They asked him to renovate the temple on the top of Kumahari hills and establish them. Praharaj located the dilapidated temple and established them after repairs. Since then, they are worshipped there and the yatra is held every year.
Maa Tarini Brata Katha PDF is not available you can bus this book from the link given at the bottom of this page.
