Kalyaneshwari Temple

Overview

Kalyaneshwari temple is located at Kalyaneshwari near Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman, West Bengal is located on the banks of Barakar River, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) downstream from Maithon Dam of Damodar Valley Corporation. It is considered to be an ancient temple, which is as much as 500 years old. The presiding deity of this temple is Maa Kalyaneshwari, a form of Goddess Shakti or Kali. The temple is situated very close to the famous tourist spot Maithan. It is visited by thousands of tourists in a year.

About the Temple

This foremost structure of Kalyaneshwari temple is said to be built by a Hindu King Harigupta, who was fleeing from the Kushanas, in the third century AD, when he established the capital of his kingdom Salanpu nearby. However, when the old temple started getting ruined, the present structure of the temple was built by King of Panchakot, around five centuries back. Legend has it that human sacrifices were offered at Kalyaneshwari in the remote past.

Temple Tank

Barakar River

About The Deity

Maa Kalyaneshwari who is present there in the form of Goddess Kali or Shakti and believed to be a living deity. Inside the sanctum sanctorum, the deity is in sitting posture, covered with red cloth and in the left hand it holds the little child. In the olden days the priest and his family worshipped faithfully. During pooja the priest also gives the food to goddess. One day the priest was delayed to perform the pooja and asked his daughter to sit for a while when he could arrange the food. The deity accepted his daughter as a sacrifice and killed her. The priest was shocked. On this the goddess regretted and promised to fulfil the wishes of all her devotees particularly those who will wish for a child. She blessed the priest to get another child.

Legend and Stories

An interesting story is narrated in the region on the building of the temple. It is said that a bangle seller was passing by a jungle when he saw a beautiful girl sitting on a rock, who asked him for a pair of bangles. When the bangle seller asked money for the bangles, the girl directed him to the king of the area. And interestingly the king too had a dream in which the Goddess asked the King to pay for the bangles to the bangle seller. On coming to know that his dream was a reality the king requested the Goddess to once again appear before him. It is said that the Goddess raised her bangle laden arms from within the river. It is also said that the mother’s footprint imprints are still visible in the temple premises.

Significance

The temple of Goddess Kalyaneshwari is believed to fulfill the wishes of childless women.

How to Reach Kalyaneshwari Temple

The nearest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. Kalyaneshwari Temple is Located on National Highway 2, Grand trunk road. The nearest railway station to the Temple is Barakar Railway station. Kalyaneshwari Temple is located about 10 kms from Barakar Railway station and just 6 km from the City Of Maithon. One can make use of the local transport available in the city to pay a visit to the temple.

Temple Address

Kalyaneshwari Temple,
Kalyaneshwari, Kulti Taluk,
Paschim Bardhaman District,
West Bengal, India.