The renowned royal Harakurir Ray-banerjee family of Pathuriaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal, just celebrated Shivratri this sunday in the most unique way possible.
Their 5 ft Shiva-linga, “Siddheshwar Maharaj” was named and Eshtablished by Thakur Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who attained the trans-state or “samdhi” at their iconic puja dalan after hearing Shiv and Kali sangit their ancestor Dhurpad Mahaguru Late Shri Haraprasad Banerjee (Sashtri).
This idol has also been worshipped by emninent saints of india like Shri Mohanananda Brahmachari, Sadhak Byamakhapa and Mahatma Sri Trailanga Swami at Harakutir and is the only Shiv Linga in bengal to accompany Devi Durga simultaneously in the same Andarmahal.
The audience experienced the divine energy of Shiva Ratri through the soul-stirring performance of Ms. Sreemoyee Ghosh and Ms. Debanjali Bandyopadhyay, students of Smt. Priyadarshini Ghosh and Smt. Mohana Iyer and were immersed in devotion, dance, and music, celebrating the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi through verses written by Adi Shankaracharya and Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Mr. Amit Basu and Mr. Sanatanu Deb Sarkar, who is also a renowned dancer engaged in Shiv Bhajan and Shiv Sangit from the legacy of Shri Mohanananda Brahmachari.
The main Shiv Maha Puja started with Abhisekham/Jalabhishekam of Shiv Linga with panchamritya and milk-ganga jal followed by Maha Yagna and Puja in 4 “Praharas”
Harakutir, a 333-year-old heritage house in Kolkata, is a treasure trove of Bengali culture and tradition. This iconic mansion has been hosting Durga Puja and Kali Puja celebrations for 333 years, making it one of the oldest and most revered puja venues in the city.
The brain behind this grand celebration is Archisman Ray Banerjee, a 12th-generation family member and senior researcher at lIT Kharagpur and works of the National Crime and Investigation Agency, Government of India.
Archisman, also the CEO of Brand Harakutir, is a man of many talents – a scientist, innovator, and cultural preservationist. He’s pursuing his PhD in Chemical Engineering, focusing on solid-state battery technologies, and has received more than 30 prestigious awards some of them of the likes of the National Icon Award 2025 and Desh Ratna Award 2025 by the Government of India.
At Harakutir, Archisman continues the family legacy, blending tradition with modernity. The mansion’s unique black Marble Shiva-linga, “Siddheshwar Maharaj,” established by Thakur Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, is a testament to its rich spiritual heritage. Under Archisman’s guidance and everyones love and blessing Harakutir remains a beacon of Bengali culture, innovation, and tradition.
Harakutir would also like to extend their gratitude to some of their prominent social media partners, one of them being Gatha – Tales of India (Gāthā: The Rhythm of India’s History and Culture).
Gāthā, meaning ‘song’ or ‘verse’ in Sanskrit, embodies our vision of storytelling that lingers in memory. Gatha – Tales of India weaves narratives of India’s history, heritage, and culture through engaging digital content and community initiatives. Founded on World Heritage Day (18 April 2023) by Ms. Brishti Mitra and Ms. Tripti Soni, two researchers in the heritage field, the initiative seeks to preserve and celebrate India’s Sanskriti and Dharohar. Through heritage walks, baithaks, and curated series, Gāthā connects past and present, bringing lesser-known stories into the collective consciousness while fostering pride in cultural identity.
Mr. Archisman Ray Banerjee, also extends his gratitude towards Mr. Vedanta Singh, Founder & Admin of the instagram page Kolkatar Utsab, a place where festivals never end & a dream which lives as an emotion of more than 1 lakh people. People call it the “Pujo Pioneer of Kolkata” showcasing festivals in a never-seen perspective.
Harakutir also extends their heartfelt gratitude to the instagram pages: adi_kolkata headed by Sagnik Saha, Birbhum Canvas, and three rising youth photographers Rohan Saha, Subhadip Mondal (La.pixel.capture on instagram) and Ayushmit Sengupta for their exceptional content and valuable inputs that made Shivratri 2026 a grand success at Harakutir.
Last but not the least, Harakutir would like to thank Mr Trishik Bose, and would like to proudly announce to the media world, the launch of an international photography exhibition titled “Colours of Spring” at Harakutir, the 333‑year‑old heritage house in Kolkata. The event, an initiative by Harakutir and The Forthright Guy Productions headed by Trishik Bose , will be held on April 4th and 5th, 2026 from 12 pm to 8 pm. For any queries, the interested photographers can contact Mr. Archisman Ray Banerjee at +91 98316 42006 or Mr. Trishik Bose at +91 79803 49739, and follow the Instagram handles @harakutir and @the_forthright_guy.
Link to Harakutirs social media handles:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/harakutir?igsh=cDhnbWR3NjFjMjA0&utm_source=qr
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1FtNSsGa6y/?mibextid=wwXIfr
