Lakhs of devotees gather at Tarapith for Kaushiki Amavasya; Administration steps up security

At the Shakti Peeth Tarapith in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, an estimated four to five lakh devotees gathered to mark Kaushiki Amavasya. The district administration deployed additional police personnel, medical teams, and volunteers for crowd management and safety. Traffic diversions, CCTV monitoring, and emergency response units were set up to handle the large turnout. Temporary camps and shelters were also arranged to accommodate pilgrims arriving from different parts of the country.

Kaushiki Amavasya holds major importance at Tarapith, where thousands of devotees and sadhaks performed Tantric rituals, yajnas, and night-long prayers. As per tradition, it is believed that on this night under the Shvet Shimul tree in the Mahashmashan, the practitioner Bamdev had the vision of Goddess Tara. The Mahashmashan, located on the banks of the Dwarka River, also holds significance for being the site where sage Vashishta is said to have performed penance at the Panchamundi Asan and received the goddess’s blessings.

The temple and its adjoining areas remained active with continuous rituals, offerings, and gatherings throughout the night. Devotees participated in the special events at the Mahashmashan, while shops, markets, and pilgrim shelters stayed open to manage the inflow of visitors. The annual event continues to draw large numbers of participants every year, reaffirming Tarapith’s place as an important center of Tantric worship and pilgrimage.