Shree Shree 108 Badi Durga Maharani Sadipur, Munger

Shree Shree 108 Badi Durga Maharani of Sadipur, Munger is historically and legendary number one amongst all the idols and Puja samitis of Munger. The Badi Durga Maharani with immense power is believed to be superior to other goddesses.  

Sadipur goes through an area connected by narrow streets but during Durga Puja, it becomes the main attraction of the town. All the Puja samitis (organisations) are bound to register themselves with government authority. It helps in better atmosphere and security during Durga puja. Puja Samitis are allotted numbers for their identity. In this legendary series, Shree Shree 108 Badi Durga Maharani of Shadipur has historically and legendary number one. 

Till the evening of the sixth Puja, Maa idol looks so earthen and pure, though the rituals are carried with the same flow every day in the temple. The artist gives the final touch to the Goddess till midnight of day six. On the very next day, Nisha Puja is celebrated. At midnight 101 lamps filled with ghee are lightened up to welcome Goddess Durga at her home.

On the forthcoming days, the narrow street of Sadipur gets rushed with devotees and become the main attraction of the town. The admiring vendors call “Badi Maa ko prasad chadhaiye, Badi Maa ko prasad chadhaiye” at every corner of Sadipur.

If you could witness the Mahaarti of Badi Maa at once in a lifetime, it could never forget for the rest of your lives. It has such a beautiful spectacle together with beautiful drums play, and drums beat inside the campus of the Badi Maa temple. It is as magnificent and as beautiful as it is religious to the core. The evening becomes so beautiful after watching this.

Badi Durga of Sadipur is called the Goddess of immense power. It is believed that maa’s energy is boundless; maa’s influence is immeasurable; the maa’s love is infinite. The idol of the Badi Durga maa has been looking alike for centuries. Sculptors have come and gone in the last four hundred years, but there is not a single change in Mata idol.

The glory of mata is so admirable that the devotees who come from so far are desperate for her glimpse. The idol is made with such decency that it seems that the mother will speak out. The eyes of the mother are so attractive that there is no desire to move your eye from the maa idol. The Badi Durga Maharani has a family of Chhoti Durga, Badi kali and Chhoti kali which reside near her at sadipur area only.

The family of Badi Durga Maharani is famous for a unique ritual called Shobha Yatra carried out during immersion. Shobha Yatra is one of the very few traditions in the world, where the deity is carried on special, made “Palankeen or Kahar” lifted by a group of people or devotees on the shoulders. It is similar to the festival of “The Ratha Yatra of Puri, Odisha” which is world-famous.

Lots of rituals are followed during Shobha Yatra also. The Shobha Yatra is made to follow some defined route of the town over the night and till the fore day off the next day, called Visharjan. Enroute devotees come and join Sobha Yatra and worship the Goddess during the whole journey. 

Badi Durga Mata Visharjan has never been happened using any vehicle or pulling Rickshaw. “The myth says that once Munger had a curfew, the administration has decided to do Visharaj using a truck. But when the people went to pick up the maa idol, it did not even budge. Then people were called for Visharjan using traditional Kahar during the curfew time.”

Midnight, the supreme Goddess meet with Durga No4 of Bekapur at Canara Bank chowk. At 4 a.m., a grand aarti of Mata is performed by the Shradha Samarpan Group at Bata Chowk. Maa Aarti at Ambe chowk and the Maha Aarti at Bata chowk sights are so amazing and incredible to watch during Sobha Yatra. The entire city gets resonated with a slogan of Jai Maa Durge! Jai Maa Durge!

A final Arti of Mata takes place at Badi Mahavir temple with lots of rituals. After this, the idol moves toward Sojhi Ghat. After Bhagat Singh Chowk, the Badi Durga Mata face is turned towards the east, facing toward Bhagat Singh Chowk so that devotees should not face problem in watching the idol.

Jai Maa Durge!