This small village temple is a traditional Bengal clay hut thatched. Previously, it was opened only once a year, but recently, regular worship has begun there. The main deity of the temple is Hamsa-vahan, a swan on whose back Shiva sits.
Here we can meditate to develop an equally strong desire to listen and chant the glories of the Lord. In order for this to happen, one must associate with the devotees of the Lord and also preach. It is Lord Siva’s mood to enjoy these games and tell others about them.
Hamsa-Vahana story
Once, at the beginning of Kali-yuga, the sages headed by Shaunaka listened to the glories of Gauranga from the mouth of Suta Gosvami. When Lord Siva found out about this, he really wanted to go to this place, to also hear about Lord Caitanya. Lord Shiva usually travels on a Nandi bull, but the bulls move too slowly. Therefore, Lord Brahma gave him his vehicle - Hamsa, the swan. Lord Siva got here very quickly and was able to associate with Suta Gosvami. The sages were very surprised to see Lord Siva on the swan instead of Brahma.
Lord Shiva was so anxious to hear stories about Lord Gauranga and flew so fast that his desire became hot with a strong desire. They say that the Divine itself is also red-hot - a five-faced Shiva lying on the back of a swan. Previously, in order to remove the heat, the Hamsa-Wahan Deity was kept under water all year round by the lake (this is one of the lakes formed in the bed of the dried-up Gomati River), delivering only three days a year - three weeks after Gaura Purnima. At this time, a grand festival was being held at Madhyadvipa, for which several tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered. But in 2005, the Deity was stolen by Muslims who hid it in the forest under a tree.
After a short search, the police found him and asked the pujari not to keep Hamsa-vahan under water anymore. Since that time, this Deity has been worshiped all year round in a small village temple, not far from the former Gomati River.
Water continues to be poured on him so that he does not heat up again. During worship, white-blue flowers are sometimes placed on the Deity. If a flower falls from dripping water, a person does not receive a blessing. If the flower opens, the blessing is received. ISKCON devotees once performed kirtan in front of the temple, but the pujari ordered them to stop. After that, the “blessings” ended. The priests realized that the chanting of the Maha Mantra delights the Deity and asked the devotees to continue.
Hamsa Vahan in Mayapur
On April 9, 2006, at the insistence of Srila Jayapataka Swami, Hamsa-vahan first visited Mayapur (this was the first time he entered the land of Antardvipa). Earlier, ISKCON devotees already tried to invite him to darshan to the Mayapur Deities, but the Hamsa-vahana pujari refused. Only after he was transferred to a temple run by a local village committee did the dream come true.
In honor of this event, a pandal was erected opposite the Shell building. Lord Siva entered ISKCON territory, accompanied by kirtan.
Jayapataka Swami conducted an abhisheka to him, and after him thousands of devotees washed Hamsa-vahana with Ganga water and milk. Then they brought him to the altar, where the Gaura-arati took place, and then the arati to Hamsa-vahana himself. After that he was surrounded around the Pancha-tattva, Nrsimhadeva and Sri Sri Sri Radha-Madhava, and at seven in the evening Lord Siva returned to his temple on Madhyadvipa.
Translated from dhama.dayalnitay.ru