This Durga Temple From The Sixteenth Century Used To Be A Fierce Dacoit’s Favorite Haunt

An infamous dacoit terrorized the area around what is now Cossipore in the 1600s when Kalikatta, Gobindapur, and Sutanuti were just emerging cities. When his heart finally changed, he lay the foundation for the temple that would eventually become Kolkata’s oldest Durga Temple. We are referring to Cossipore’s renowned and religiously free Adi Chitteswari Durga Mandir.

The dacoit known as Chitte would rob wealthy zamindars and chieftains and give the loot to the underprivileged. He continued to live a life of constant robbery while also praying to Durga. The temple, which was built in 1610, is situated on Khagendra Chatterjee Road in Cossipore, a neighborhood of Kolkata, directly across from the Cossipore Gun and Shell Factory. One of the temple’s claims to fame has been its age, which is usually cited as being greater than that of Kolkata itself. It is painted in a vivid blend of yellow and red. The Chitteswari temple is older if we regard the founding date of Kolkata to be August 24, 1686, the day a representative of the British East India Company by the name of Job Charnock first set foot on these shores.

The main deity Durga, who is represented by Maa Shitala, appears in the center, surrounded by Hanuman and Shiva on either side. The trio of Lokenath Baba, Jagannath, Balaram, and Subhadra may be found in a charming part of the temple, together with Lokaram, who is always peaceful. A tiny room for Radha and Krishna is located near the door at the opposite end of the room. An abandoned crematorium called a Shamshaan, which was originally frequented by Tantriks and the heads of owls, dogs, monkeys, snakes, and frogs, is located in the back of the temple. Near the Shamshaan, a huge neem tree that has supposedly been there for centuries is still going strong.

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