One of the most popular Jagadhatri pujas in Chandannagar is the ‘Buri Ma’ Puja. Buri Ma is worshipped in Bhadreswar, in the Hooghly district of Bengal. Thousands of people from far and wide come to witness this puja.
Buri Ma Puja in Bhadreswar during Jagadhatri puja in 2026 is on November 18.
According to local legend, the Buri Ma Puja in Bhadreswar
originated during the time of King Krishnachandra. The ritual is believed to be
over 230 years old. It is said that Krishnachandra’s minister, Indranarayan
Chowdhury, first started the Jagadhatri Puja in Chandannagar’s Chaulpatty
Market. A few years later, the Buri Ma Puja began in Tentultala, Bhadreswar,
said to have been initiated by another of the king’s ministers, Dataram Sur.
There is also another story. Once, King Krishnachandra was
imprisoned by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan. During that time, his minister Dataram
fled to Tantultala with the idol of the goddess established by the king. He
then installed the idol there and began the worship. Since then, Buri Ma has
been worshipped at this spot continuously, year after year.
According to local belief, Buri Ma is a very powerful and awakened deity — she never sends her devotees back empty-handed. Many people perform vows of penance here once their wishes are fulfilled.
Throughout the
year, daily worship and rituals are carried out at Buri Ma’s temple, with both
idol and painted representations (pata) being used. In earlier times, animal
sacrifice was part of the ritual, but that practice has now been discontinued.
No formal collection of funds is made for the puja; it is organized entirely from the donations of devotees.