Near Dakshineswar, on the banks of the Ganges at Ariadaha, stands an ancient Shiva mandir. The Shiva lingam of this temple is known as “Buro Shiv” (Old Shiva). It is located very close to the Dakshineswar Kali Temple, the place of spiritual practice of Sri Ramakrishna. It is believed that prayers to Buro Shiv fulfill wishes. Even today, this temple—one of the most popular in North 24 Parganas—attracts countless devotees and stands as a living emblem of Bengal’s deep spiritual heritage. Shivratri is the most important festival here. Mondays and Pradosh see extra rush of devotees.
Ariadaha Buro Shiv Mandir Story
The origin of the Buro Shiv Temple is still shrouded in
mystery! According to local legend and inscriptions, the temple is over 2,000
years old. The inscription claims that worship of this Shiva lingam began
during the reign of King Bana—a reference to an ancient period.
This Shiva lingam is believed to be self-manifested
(Swayambhu). According to local folklore, a Brahmin in the area had a cow that
went into the forest every day. When the cow returned, her udder was always
empty. Curious, the Brahmin followed her one day and saw that the cow was
pouring her milk over a rock!
That very night, Lord Mahadeva (Shiva) appeared to the
Brahmin in a dream and instructed him to move the stone and build a temple on
the bank of the Ganges. As the Brahmin was poor, he informed the local
landlord, King Sudharam Ghosal, about the divine message. Following the king’s
orders, his brother Dewan Harnath Ghosal constructed the temple in 1708.
The structure of this Shiva lingam is unlike traditional
ones—it is a large, protruding stone. Legend also says that during the reign of
King Husain Shah, Lord Maheshwar (Shiva) appeared in a dream and commanded that
a temple be built without a spire, which is why the temple has none. It is
regarded by devotees as a highly sacred and spiritually active place.
Ariadaha Buro Shiv Temple History
The temple’s history is also connected with Warren Hastings,
the British Governor-General (1772–1785). It is said that Hastings, a skeptic
of Hindu beliefs and miracles, came to see the temple after hearing tales of
Buro Shiv’s divine powers. He allegedly ordered the Shiva lingam to be removed
and thrown into the Ganges.
Workers tried to dig the lingam out of the ground, but the
deeper they dug, the further down the lingam seemed to go. Despite days of
digging, they could not find its base. Exhausted, the workers gave up.
Witnessing this, Warren Hastings was astonished. Seeing what he believed to be
the miraculous power of the Hindu deity, he realized his mistake and abandoned
the attempt to move the lingam.
This miraculous story still symbolizes the greatness and
mystery of Buro Shiv.
There is also a connection between Buro Shiv and Sri
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. According to local tradition, Sri Ramakrishna himself
worshipped Buro Shiv and used to come here for meditation. Swami Vivekananda
and many other monks also visited this temple.