The renowned royal Harakurir Ray-banerjee family of Pathuriaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal, is celebrating Shivratri today ,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.

Experience 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.

Join us as we immerse 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 will also engage in Shiv Bhajan and Shiv Sangit from the legacy of Shri Mohanananda Brahmachari.

The main Shiv Maha Puja will start 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.