The Supreme Yogi, the Divine Goddess Jagadhatri, is worshiped across Bengal on the ninth day of the waxing moon in Kartik. Goddess Jagadhatri is worshiped at the Mother Temple in Jayrambati, Bankura, which is the birthplace of Sarada Devi (wife of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa). This puja has been celebrated for 148 years. Jagadhatri Puja 2026 date is on November 18.
History
In fact, this puja originally belonged to Saradamani’s
paternal home. In 1877, in her own house in the village of Jayrambati, Sarada
Devi’s mother, Shyamasundari, began the worship of Goddess Jagadhatri. Sarada
Devi herself remained connected to this puja throughout her life. Even today,
the authorities of the Mother Temple at Sarada Devi’s birthplace continue to
organize the Jagadhatri Puja.
Story
According to legend, Shyamasundari started the worship of
Goddess Hemantika after receiving a divine message in a dream. During Kali
Puja, offerings of rice, called mangan, were taken from every household in the
village and offered to God as part of the ritual. The women of the village
saved a handful of rice every day from their household to offer during the
puja.
During Kali Puja in the village of Jayrambati, Brahmin
priests from the Mukherjee family would follow a tradition of collecting rice
from each household for the puja. However, in 1877, for some unknown reason, a
Brahmin from the Mukherjee family refused to collect rice from Shyamasundari’s
house. This deeply hurt Shyamasundari, who was a poor widow, struggling to feed
her children by working in the grain fields of Brahmin households. Perhaps
because of this, her offering was refused. The rice she had saved for the puja
did not reach the Goddess. In her sorrow and humiliation, Shyamasundari cried.
Suddenly, she saw a blood-red colored goddess who spoke to her, saying, “Why
are you crying, my daughter? What does it matter if your offering was not
accepted for Kali Puja? I will accept your offering.”
Shyamasundari immediately realized that the red-colored
woman was none other than Goddess Jagadhatri. That year, in the midst of her
poverty, she began the worship of Goddess Jagadhatri in Jayrambati. This puja
became a symbol of Shyamasundari’s struggle for self-respect. Despite being
seemingly uneducated and impoverished, she demonstrated what could happen when
one's self-respect is insulted. Saradamani, her daughter, returned to the
village from Dakshineswar that year to participate in the puja. Sarada Devi
took over the responsibilities of the Jagadhatri Puja at the family home until
1919. The puja is still held in her name today. Even now, as per tradition, the
pujas for the seventh, eighth, and ninth days of the waxing moon are held
together at the Mother Temple.
In Jayrambati, the puja used to take place inside the Mother Temple itself. However, since 2011, a pandal (temporary structure) has been set up outside the temple for the puja. People from all over the country and the world now flock to Jayrambati to witness the Jagadhatri Puja.