24. Maa Nandikeshwari (Sainthia, Birbhum, West Bengal)
Sainthia is famous for the well-known Temple of Goddess Nandikeshwari. One of the 51 Shakti Peethas, the Temple attracts a vast array of Visitors and devotees from all over the region. The Temple rests on an elevated platform and contains many additional smaller shrines to many gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. Statuettes of the Mahavidyaas are carved on the walls overlooking the main Temple. Puja is offered daily to the Goddess. The name of Goddess is derived from 'Nandi', the mascot and follower of Lord Shiva, and 'Ishwari' (Goddess), meaning 'one who is worshiped by Nandi, the divine bull'. Wife to Lord Shiva, the Goddess is one of the many aspects of Goddess Sati or Parvati. Usually, a circular journey for pilgrimage is undertaken by Visitors and devotees from Kolkata and other major cities in the Birbhum District, starting from Shantiniketan, through Tara Pith and Nandikeshwari and finally to Fullara Mahapith of Labhpur. Daily 'Prasad' is offered to the devotees in the Temple. Annual festival is held during the autumn season.
Sainthia is a town and a municipality in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district. The town is famous for Nandikeshwari Temple, one of the Shakti Peethas in India. Construction of the Sainthia railway station was done as part of building the entire line. This large project brought people from different corners of this country to assemble and settle here. With the effort of the inhabitants of this urban locality, Sainthia has been turned into a commercial hub of the district. Now it is growing rapidly through all the development and service avenues to be a model municipality by taking good care of its inhabitants and the nature surrounding it.
