Shaktipeethas.org

DearSir,

Here I would like take the opportunity to ask how you make sure that present Pandua near Kolkata is the ancient Pradyumna?
Because I searched a lot but could not find the exact location of Pradyumna.

Today I visited Pandua in search of Pradyumna. I am attaching the photos. I spoke to local people. One thing is sure there was a Hindu Temple. Everybody from Begger to Archiologist ,all believe the buildings were belong to the Hindu raja. which contained some Hindu temple also. It was destroyed and Masjid built there. Now the question where was the temple and temple of which god.

Looking at the minar door or at Bari Masjid one can assume it was a Hindu temple before. But I dont believe. This is made of three single stones. Which can be detached. I think it was brought from some hindu temple debris. Because it doesnt seems to be belong here. Suddenly some of the local people said "the Minar was not a temple, the temple used to be threre" pointing at the Hazrat Shah Masjid nearby.

I went inside the Masjid and got to know some unbelievable fact. There used to be a bell(like hindu temple) before Namaz. Guess who used to gong the Bell. A hindu priest. They were doing it from generations. But suddenly they become rich and left the Job. I found some similarity of Hindu temple there also.
First it looks like Hindu Temple building. I have seen a stone which looks like stone used for animal Sacrifice. Even the wall constitute small rooms like other hindu temple.And it was beside a pond like other hindu temple. I am not sure if this was the main temple of locality but definitly it was a popular temple.

Hi, Very happy to welcome you to Shaktipeethas.org. First of all, thanks for your contribution.

Yes, I accept that the location of Shrinkhala Shaktipeeth at Pandua is a question of debate. It is considered to be present in West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat, Orissa etc. But, as far as I know, the exact proposed locations are only Pandua (West bengal) and Kigga (Karnataka). I accepted Pandua on the basis of two important points. [1] It's previous name is Pradyumna, you can confirm this from any reference of ancient Indian geography. [2] The Sakta Pithas, by Dines Chandra Sircar which is the most authentic book on Shakti peethas also supports Pandua.

As you are a resident of Kolkata, and your mother tongue is Bengali, you certainly have an edge to us. We couldn't freely communicate with the local people in Pandua and what we learned is only from few people who responded to our efforts What I can confirm is Shrinkhala peeth is at Pandua, but not the exact place of it.

As you are telling that you have photos of Hazrat Shah Masjid suggesting it as a previous Hindu temple, please upload them. Another request, can please tell about MELA TALA. We heard that it will be held in that place every year on Maghi pournima. Is it true, if so, can you please give more details on that.

Hello,

I have shared my photos. Please have a look.
http://picasaweb.google.com/11459485821 ... 1565485714

Now let discuss about the location of Pandua. There are two Pandua in West Bengal. One in Hooghly district which we are talking about now and another in Malda district. There is another Pandua in Sylhet division, Bangladesh. But all Pandua has a similarity in one fact. That is all were economically important places. All were capital of some Hindu King. Then Muslim invaded and destoyed the glory. kílled thousands of Hindus and converted many Hindus. rąped many Hindu women. Destroyed many Temple and converted them in Masjid or Grave.
This lead me some assumtion that Muslims who invaded Bengal have enter from East of Bengal. They have different Language. They used to call such places Pandua or Similar like that.
Some Historian thinks the name Pandua came from ancient Mahabharat PANDAVA.
Pradyumnya was son of Krishna. Who ďied in Dwarka,Gujrat. Possibly Pradyumnya is place in Gujrat.
Can you please share a pdf copy of The Sakta Pithas, by Dines Chandra Sircar . This will help me a lot in my research.

MELATALA means a fair ground in Bengali.Even now every year in the month of Magh a fair happens in Pandua,Hooghly.
Both Hindu and Muslim comes there.Some people says the Fair started in 1904.Or may be the Fair continued even after destruction of the Temple as Muslims also wanted the money comes out of the Fair.
You may get some more information in the below site.
http://www.rangan-datta.info/Pundooah.htm

Actually I don't have the full pdf copy of the book. I uploaded a Limited preview version, which I downloaded from Google books, you can have that. public/The-Sakta-Pithas.pdf

I saw the sculptures of 18 Shaktipith on the walls of the Puruhutika temple (Pithapuram). Srunkhala devi is depicted as Chotila mata there.
Chotilla devi temple is located in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, near Rajkot. Historically Chotilla is called Panchal, and is famous for the worship of goddess Chamunda (Rann-chandi) situated on a small hill. She is believed as one who kílled the demons Chanda & Munda.