Mamata visits Adyapeeth, recollects memories of her mother

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday offered puja at Adyapeeth temple near Dakshineswar and prayed for the welfare of the people of the state and the country.

According to a Facebook post by Banerjee, she prayed for the demolition of all divisive forces and the upholding of humanity and amity among the people of Bengal.

She wished happiness and sound health for all the people of the state from the core of her heart.

Banerjee recollected memories of her mother Gayatri Devi during her visit to the shrine on Tuesday. Her mother passed away in December 2017. She narrated an incident of her mother’s visit to Adyapeeth and before speaking about the same begged an apology from all so that no one misunderstands her.

She said that in 2009 while she was the Railway minister, her mother along with her sister had come to Adyapeeth to offer puja. “I had given my mother a cotton saree for offering it to the Goddess. They reached the temple at 4 am. However, the priests who were associated with the puja told them to wait as more expensive sarees were brought by devotees for the Goddess. They told my mother that after cladding the Goddess with such a saree, the puja will commence and at that time the one brought by mother will be offered. She waited till 5 in the evening and then the priests came and told my mother that no other saree had come to the temple on that day and so they would clad the Goddess with that saree that was brought by my mother. You may tell that I am making up a story or is boastful, but believe me I am speaking from the core of my heart,“ a nostalgic Banerjee said.

She maintained that the particular incident bears testimony to the fact that if somebody worships from the core of his or her heart, God reciprocates in such a manner. “When God wants puja from his/her devotees, no one can stop it,“ she said.

“I have visited many temples, including the Dakshineswar temple too. I have been cherishing the desire to visit Adyapeeth for quite some time and today it happened,“ she added.

Banerjee was accompanied by Abhishek’s mother, Lata Banerjee.