As per ancient legend, once when Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati were seriously discussing about the sufferings of the people in the earth in the holy Mount Kailash, the divine vehicle of Ma Parvati, the holy lion, began to laugh loudly, after hearing their conversations. Agitated by the act of the holy lion, Ma Parvati cursed it, to live in the earth. The lion had pleaded for its mistake, and therefore, Ma Parvati felt pity on it, and asked it to meditate at the present day Bangladesh.
The lion went to the earth, and performed severe penance on Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati, for several days even without taking food and water. Pleased by its devotion, Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati appeared before it, and asked the lion to accept a boon from them.
Since the lion has suffered so many problems in the earth during the time of its penance, it felt pity on the people in the earth, and asked Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati, to stay there permanently in order to grant boons to their devotees. The divine couple agreed, and while Lord Shiva took the form of a self-emanated Lingam, Ma Parvati, took the form of a self-emanated idol, and they transferred some of their powers on those divine idols, and after staying there for some time, they went to Mount Kailash along with the Divine Lion.
Since the holy lion performed meditation at the present place of the temple, Lord Shiva is called as Simheshwara and Ma Parvati is known as Simheshwari, and a beautiful temple was built by an ancient Chola King as per the orders given by Lord Shiva, and this temple was supposed to be built before 1500 years ago.
Before few years ago, this temple was almost destroyed by some miscreants, and at present, no idols were present at this temple. But however, with some of the portions of the dilapidated temple, we could feel satisfied, that once, Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati would be cheerfully seated there in the form of idols, and they would have also accepted the pujas and the holy bath offered to them, by the then priests of Bangladesh.
“OM MA SIMHESHWARI SAMETHA SRI SIMHESHWARAYA NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR