Kiriteswari Temple

Getting there

• By train

  Dahapara railway station is 2 km from the village, and Behrampore railway station is 25 km away.

• By road

  Nabagram-Lalbag Road passes through the village. Local reports say you either hire a car or ask someone to drop you at the railway station.

Why devotees come here

Kiriteswari Temple stands in Kiritkona village, Nabagram block, Murshidabad district, West Bengal. It is one of the 51 Sati peeths, and the deity here is Devi Kiriteshwari. Legend says Sati's crown, or kirit, fell at this spot.

Legend says that after Sati's self-immolation, Shiva carried her body, and her crown fell at this spot. Local tellings add that the upper part of her skull fell here too. The temple is revered as one of the 51 Sati peeths, and the deity is Devi Kiriteshwari.

The original temple was destroyed in 1405. The present temple was rebuilt by Darpanarayan, king of Lalgola, in the 19th century. A priest gives a different date, saying Rani Bhavani of Natore built the shrine about 300 years ago, so accounts of its age differ.

McCutchion describes the shrine as a char-chala structure with an ek-bangla porch. A priest says the roof shows Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu architectural influences. A news report calls the place a classic example of communal harmony.

Festivals

• Ashtami day of Durga Puja, every yearDurga Puja Ashtami feast

  A grand feast draws 7,000 to 8,000 people, including many Muslim families.

Tips for your visit

• The village has a small lodge that can accommodate only a few pilgrims.
• No express trains stop at the nearby station, so villagers board and leave trains at Behrampore.

Questions people ask