Maa Bhadrakali Temple Itkhori

Getting there

• By air

  Gaya International Airport, Ranchi and Hazaribagh are the nearest airports named for Itkhori.

• By train

  The Chatra district site says the task of connecting Chatra with the train is progressing.

• By road

  Itkhori is 35 km from Chatra and 16 km from Chauparan on National Highway 19, the old Grand Trunk Road.

Why devotees come here

Maa Bhadrakali Temple stands in Itkhori village, in Chatra district, Jharkhand. Itkhori is also the headquarters of its block. The Chatra district site calls the temple famous, and says Hindu, Jain and Buddhist deities mingle here.

The temple has several ancient deities, including the Hindu deity Bhadrakali and the Buddhist deity Tara. The Chatra district site describes a happy mingling of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist deities here, and calls the Bhadrakali temple at the Itkhori block headquarters famous. Tradition has it that Gautama's aunt, Prajapati Gautami, came looking for him while he was meditating at Itkhori.

The temple was built in the 9th century. An inscription records that King Mahendra Pal completed the structure. A statue here is five feet high and has four arms.

The Chatra district site calls the temple a Siddha Peeth of Devi Bhadrakali. The Chatra district police also name it among the district's important pilgrimage spots. Stone reliefs and sculptures from the area are housed in the Bhadrakali Mandir Museum in Itkhori.

Festivals

• Every year in FebruaryItkhori Mahotsav

  A village festival, held every year in Itkhori.

Tips for your visit

• Visit the Bhadrakali Mandir Museum in Itkhori to see the stone reliefs, which are examples of the art of the area.
• Plan the trip around February if you want to see the Itkhori Mahotsav, which is held every year in the village.

Questions people ask