Rarheshwar Mandir

Getting there

• By air

  Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport (RDP) is the nearest airport, in Durgapur itself.

• By train

  Durgapur Railway Station (DGR) is the nearest station.

• By road

  The historic Grand Trunk Road passes through Durgapur.

Why devotees come here

Rarheshwar Mandir is a Shiva temple in Durgapur, Paschim Bardhaman district, West Bengal. The Incredible India page dates it to around 1200 AD, when Maharaja Ballal Sen of the Rarh Dynasty established it. Legend says Shiva appeared in a dream and suggested building it.

Legend holds that Shiva appeared in a dream and suggested building this temple, to ease a king's illness. The temple is immensely revered by devotees.

Maharaja Ballal Sen of the Rarh Dynasty established the temple around 1200 AD, when this region was known as Rarh Desh. The temple is said to have nearly one millennium of history. It is built of sandstone and laterite, and a sizable Shiva lingam sits in the inner sanctum, the innermost chamber of the temple where the lingam is kept. The Incredible India page describes exquisite sculptures and detailed carvings on the grounds.

Priests hold daily aarti and puja at set times as part of worship at the shrine. Durgapur lies on the bank of the Damodar River, just before the river enters the alluvial plains of Bengal.

Festivals

• Maha Shivaratri nightMaha Shivaratri

  Devotees keep night-long prayers and fasting, and pour milk or water on the Shiva lingams as part of this festival.

• DiwaliDiwali

  Devotees mark Diwali with an Annakut celebration, offering food to the deities as a token of respect.

Tips for your visit

• Bhabani Pathak's Tilla is a nearby attraction, listed on the Incredible India page.
• Durgapur Barrage, built by the Damodar Valley Corporation in 1955, is another nearby attraction.
• The Incredible India page says visitors can offer flowers, incense sticks or prasad as a token of devotion.

Questions people ask