Dakshineswar Bhavatarini Kali Temple- West Bengal

Address

Dakshineswar Bhavatarini Kali Temple Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700076

Deity

Shiva, Krishna Amman: Bhavatarini (Kali), Radha

Introduction

• Location: Dakshineswar, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, India.
• Established: 1855.
• Founder: Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and devotee of Kali.
• Presiding Deity: Bhavatarini (a form of Parashakti Adya Kali or Adishakti Kalika).
• Significance: Associated with 19th-century mystics Ramakrishna and Ma Sarada Devi.
• Temple Complex:
  • Main Temple: Navaratna (nine-spired) temple.
  • Other Structures: Courtyard with boundary rooms, twelve Shiva shrines, Radha-Krishna temple, bathing ghat, shrine for Rani Rashmoni.
  • Nahabat: Chamber where Ramakrishna and Ma Sarada spent significant time.

Puranic Significance:

• Founding Legend:
  • Vision: Rani Rashmoni had a divine vision instructing her to build a temple for Kali instead of making a pilgrimage to Kashi.
  • Site Selection: Purchased a 30,000-acre plot in Dakshineswar from Englishman Jake Hastie.
  • Construction: Temple built between 1847 and 1855 on land known as Saheban Bagicha; the site was an old Muslim burial ground considered suitable for Shakti worship.
  • Inauguration: Idol of Goddess Kali installed on Snana Yatra day (31 May 1855). Ramkumar Chhattopadhyay was the initial priest, succeeded by his younger brother Ramakrishna and wife Sarada Devi.
  • Legacy: Rani Rashmoni passed away in 1861, leaving her property in Dinajpur (Bangladesh) for the temple’s maintenance.

Special Features:

• Architecture:
  • Style: Navaratna (nine-spired) Bengal architecture.
  • Dimensions: Three-storied, 46 feet (14 m) square, and rises over 100 feet (30 m) high.
  • Sanctum Sanctorum: Houses an idol of Kali (Bhavatarini) standing on Shiva’s chest, placed on a silver lotus throne.
  • Shiva Temples: Twelve identical temples facing east, built on the riverfront in typical aat-chala Bengal style.
• Nearby Temples:
  • Vishnu Temple/Radha Kanta Temple: Features a silver throne with idols of Krishna (21.5 inches) and Radha (16 inches).

Significance:

• Cultural Impact: The temple is a major pilgrimage site due to its association with Ramakrishna and Ma Sarada Devi, and its historical and architectural importance in Bengal’s religious landscape.

Century/Period/Age

19th century

Managed By

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Nearest Bus Station

Dakshineswar

Nearest Railway Station

Kolkata station

Nearest Airport

Kolkata

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