5 Lesser-known ancient Maa Durga Temples in West Bengal

Durga Puja is a main festival of the Bengalis. Not only pandals are constructed for the worship of Durga but from the ancient times say from the time of the Mughals on the 11th and 12th-century people in many ways were related to two different events which were indeed supernatural!

You may have heard many Kali temples around West Bengal but there are many such Durga temples around West Bengal that were built by landlords or many kings from the ancient era.

Many of them also have got advice in their dreams to construct Durga temples.

Many devotees have felt the urge to construct Durga temples from the core of their hearts.

Here are a few famous Durga temples that celebrate Durga Puja in a grand manner.

Singha Bahini Mandir
Maa Guptamoni Mandir
Trilokkotarini temple
Singha Bahini Mandir
Ghagar Buri Chandi Mandir

Let’s see about each of these Durga temples in detail…

1. Singha Bahini Mandir, Joyrambati

The Jayrambati Singha Bahini temple is located near the Matri temple.

Singhbahini Devi is worshipped as Devi Durga in the temple.

There is no such idol of Devi Durga in the temple but there are three unique idols of Octo alloy. The idol in the center is of Devi Durga, the right side of Devi Durga is Devi Chandi and on the left side, you can get to see Devi Mahamaya.

A little bit further to the left there is the goddess of the serpent who is called the Debi Manasa and on the right side of the three idols, there is a throne of Ramkrishna and Sarada Moni.

The entire roof of the ancient Singhabahini Mandir was made of straw. There is an outhouse with 8 sheds made up of asbestos.

In front of the old Singhbahini temple. The temple faces east and it was built in the 17th century but in decent times it has been reconstructed and renovated by Gopal Mondal and the responsibilities of the worship have been taken up by the heirs of Sharda Moni.

In this temple, rice is strictly restricted to the “prasad”. Singha Bahini goddess is served with puffed rice, fruits, and sweets. People here celebrate Durga Puja, Radha Ashtami, and Kali Puja with great pomp and show, and every Saturday and Tuesday Bhakta offers Puja to the goddess by sacrificing goats and offering milk.

Many people visit the temple because they believe lots of devotees get cured of any sort of disease. People here carry soil from the temple premises as the main element.

People here wholeheartedly offer the household eatables and pray to God for the fulfillment of their wishes. The four days of Durga Puja are celebrated with great excitement.

On the day of Ashtami, flowers are offered during sandhi Puja and according to the locals, Devi drops flowers from her forehead during the time. On the day of Navami at least 25 to 30 goats are sacrificed.

Finally, on Dashami, the clay pot known as “Ghot” is immersed in “Mondal Pukur(pond)”.

2. Maa Guptamoni Mandir, Jhargram

Jhargram Guptamoni Mandir is believed to be a temple of the “goddess of the forest” locally known as Bandevi

Many people also know this goddess as one of the reforms of Durga, known as “BannDurga”.

During ancient times, the area of Jhargram Sukh Niwas forest was under the rule of the Jhargram king Narsingh MallaDev who built a secret tunnel in order to win the battle.

Revolving around this incident, Nanda Bhukta opponent of the Mallaking discovered a boulder under a dead tree which symbolized Devidurga and since then he started worshipping Ban Durga using wildflowers.

Although there are not so many preparations and arrangements for the worship of the goddess there is a lot of devotion among the people here.

In the secret tunnel Devi is worshipped in the form of a clay pot (ghot) only part is not done here but a small Durga idol made of stone is established in this place.

Very strange events to be noted here is that Devi is not worshipped rather Devi cannot be worshipped in any kind of electric light on a lamp.

Several attempts have been done in order to set electric lamps but Devi loves to be worshipped in the light of candles or diyas.

Every day goddess is offered coconuts, bananas apples, and milk.

During Durga Puja, Makar Sankranti, and Ambubachi special arrangements and offerings are made.

On Ashtami, people sacrifice fruits, and on the Saptami and Navami, a sheep is sacrificed.

On the day of Dashami, many devotees meet at this place.

The temple is located beside national highway 6.

From the city of Jhargram, you have to travel 18 km southwest to reach the Maa Guptamoni Mandir.

3. Trilokkotarini temple, Koyrapur

Trilokkotarini temple was built during the 11th and 12th centuries with a height of 50 feet.

The peak of a temple is generally shaped like a sweet which is known as “Kodama” in Bengali and there is also an iron needle upon it.

There is an open veranda all around the temple.

Within the temple, Ashtabhuja Devi Mahesh Mardini resides on a bed. The Devi is curved in the black Kasti stone.

Koyrapur and Ambona village was under the rule of landlords Ramjoy Singha Majumdar. The Devi in these villages is known as Trilokkotarini.

During an attack by the British, a potter couple was said to protect Devi Durga, and therefore they have been placed as an idol near the feet of Devi ma and are also worshipped along with her.

Seven rituals are maintained during the worship of Devi Durga.

On the day of “Ram Navami”, Devi is placed on the chariot and is made to roam all around Koyrapur and Ambona village.

In this temple, many Muslim devotees also come to worship Devi Durga.

Devi is also worshipped during Ashar Navami and Durga Navami.

She is offered Poromanna bhog.

It is prepared with atta chal, sugar, milk, raisins cashew nuts, and jaggery.

Goat is sacrificed in all four days from Saptami to Dashami.

In the temple, Devi Chandi, lord Vishnu, Dakshina Kali, and Mahakal Bhairav are also worshipped along with Trilokkotarini Devi.

4. Singha bahini Mandir, Jiaganj, Murshidabad

A long time ago Bajra and Mahajani ships used to flock near the Jiaganj Nimtala Ghat.

At that time a sailor was returning to Sutanuti with his vajra. During that night he dreamt of Devi Ma who told him to rescue her.

According to his dreams, he found a big boulder piece near the Neemtala Ghat the next morning. Finally, after rescuing the stone from the Ghat, locals to their utter surprise found that it was a Devi Durga Murti of 4 feet jet black Kasti stone with 10 weapons in her hands and Mahishasur under his feet.

The idol of Devi Durga was kept in Brohmomoyi Kali bari since then.

The idol is of the era of the Pal Rajas.

In this temple, Durga Puja is celebrated in a pompous manner. On the day of Panchami and Sasti morning, Devi murti is bathed in the river of Bhagirathi river.

Devi Murti is then decorated with Daker Saaj. After that, a bael tree is worshipped.

On the day of Saptami, there is a ritual of Nabapatrika Snan and the “Chokkhudan” of Devi.

On all four days of Durga Puja, Devi is offered rice, pulao, lentils, vegetables, chutney, payesh, and sweets. The offerings are also distributed among devotees as “prasad”.

The temple is very ancient and now it is almost in ruins. It was built with bricks but now renovation has already been started.

The main entrance known as “Singhaduar” is built with granite where there are two idols of a lion with a pot in the middle. The shivlinga and trishul of the naga Sanyasi is present.

During the Shivratri and Bipadtarini Puja, many devotees come to the place. During the Kalpataru Utsav, a Ram Krishna idol made of clay is also worshipped.

5. Ghagar Buri Chandi Mandir, Asansol

Devi is worshipped here every day and the goddess is offered puffed rice, jaggery, banana, and milk.

On Saturdays and Tuesdays, the goddess is offered khichdi. She is served with “Poromanna” in the afternoon with the khichdi. She is also offered fried veggies, and chutney.

During the Sandhya Arati, she is offered “Michri”, laddu, raisins, and “Peda” which is also distributed among her Bhakts.

A goat is sacrificed every single day.

In this Ghagarburi Chandi temple, during the new moon nights, Yagya is conducted.

There is also an ancient tree present here. According to the locals, people who have their dreams fulfilled after their offerings to the goddess, tie a pebble in this tree.

During the full moon nights, special arrangements are made for the pooja during the Fala Harini Kali Puja.

The worship of the goddess is done in a grand manner during the four days of Durga Puja.

Special poojas are done and the goddess is offered with rice and Paramanna on Saptami and Navami, puri, Cholar daal, mixed veg, and sweets are made on Ashtami, and pulao and mixed veg is prepared on the Dashami.

Try to visit these holy places once in your lifetime to view the beautiful mystery of Devi maa hidden behind each temple and to receive the eternal blessings of Devi Durga during the Durga Puja and throughout the year.

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