| Temples & Legends of Bengal |
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| Temples & Legends Of India |
THE TEMPLES IN HOOGHLY |
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| SERAMPORE Serampore in Hooghly district is well known for its temple of Radhaballabh and Rath-Jatra.3 "The following legend is told about the origin of the idol and temple. About eight generations ago, Rudru Pandit, who was related to a family of distinction at Chatra, a mile to the west of Serampore, forsook the family mansion and retired to Ballabhpur, which was then a forest, where he began a series of religious austerities. The gods are never indifferent to such acts of devotion, and Radhaballabh himself is said to have appeared to him in the form of a religious mendicant, and given him instructions to proceed to Gaur, the capital of Bengal and obtain a slab or stone which adorned the doorway of the Viceroy's private room, and construct an image out of it. He proceeded to that city and found that the Prime Minister and favorite of the Viceroy was a devoted Hindu. To him he announced the revelation he had received, and was assured that no effort should be spared to obey the commands of the God."Soon after, the stone began to emit drops of water and, by a singular coinci- dence, the Viceroy himself happened to pass by the time. The Minister pointed out the circumstance, and asserted that the drops thus distilled were the tears of the stone, and that no time should be lost in delivering the palace from so inauspicious an omen, by the removal of this object. Permission was immediately given to this effect, and Rudru was blessed with the gratification of his wishes. 3 Bengal District Gazetteers, Hooghly, by L.S.S. O'Malley, Calcutta, 1912, pp. 313-138. |
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| About Hooghly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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