On the quiet banks of the Ajay River, in the village of Ketugram in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district, sits a modest yet deeply revered shrine dedicated to Goddess Bahula — one of the 51 Shakti Peethas that trace their origin to the Puranic legend of Sati’s sacrifice. Unlike the grander, more architecturally elaborate Peethas found elsewhere in India, Bahula Devi Temple carries its significance quietly, through age, continuous local devotion, and a striking central idol rather than scale or ornamentation.

Here, tradition holds, the left arm of Goddess Sati fell to earth after Vishnu’s Sudarshan Chakra divided her body, following her self-immolation at her father Daksha’s yajna and Shiva’s grief-stricken journey carrying her remains across the cosmos. The temple’s very name reflects this legend directly — “Bahu” being the Sanskrit word for arm — while also carrying a second meaning of abundance and prosperity, a duality local devotees often point to as fitting for a goddess widely believed to answer prayers generously.

What makes Bahula distinctive among Bengal’s Shakti Peethas is its intimate, riverside setting and its old, unusually detailed central idol — four-armed, with one arm deliberately shown broken, a visual detail devotees connect directly to the temple’s founding legend. The goddess is worshipped here alongside Lord Shiva in his Bhairava form as Bhiruk, whose name is traditionally understood to mean one who has attained the deepest levels of meditative accomplishment.
Notes
Unusually among Shakti Peethas, the temple’s own idol of Devi Bahula is four-armed, with one arm shown broken — a striking visual echo of the very legend the temple is built upon.
The Bhairava associated with this Peetha, Bhiruk (or Bhiruka), is not physically present within the Bahula temple itself; local tradition places him at a nearby location called Srikhandha, where he is worshipped under the name Bhoothnath.
Devi Bahula is depicted here flanked by Ganesha on one side and Goddess Lakshmi on the other, and in some local traditions is described as accompanied by her sons Kartikeya and Ganesha — a detail devotees find meaningful given Sati’s own story predates her sons’ birth in mainstream Puranic tradition.
The name “Bahula” draws from the Sanskrit “Bahu” (arm), while also carrying the separate meaning of “abundant” or “lavish,” reflecting the prosperity many devotees credit to the goddess.
The temple has a strong local reputation as a wish-fulfilling shrine, with many devotees reporting that their prayers here are answered.
The temple is comparatively less crowded than major Shakti Peethas outside festival periods, making it a peaceful destination for those seeking a quieter pilgrimage experience.
Basic accommodation is limited near the temple itself; most visitors stay in nearby Katwa or Bardhaman town.