Kirit Shakti Peeth and Kiriteswari Temple, also known as the Mukteshwari Temple, stands in Kiritkona village within Nabagram (Community Development Block) of Murshidabad district’s Kolkata region. This temple is especially important to followers of Hindu faith because it was where the crown of Mother Sati fell.
The ancient Kiriteswari Temple, which is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas according to Hindu mythology, is said to have been around for more than 1000 years. Locally known as Mahishamardini and believed to be where Mahamaya slept, this temple was destroyed in 1405 before being rebuilt by Raja Darpanarayan of Lalgola in the 19th century. This makes it the oldest temple within Murshidabad district! Here Bhubaneswari or Shakti Vimla and Samvarta are worshipped together with Bhairav..
Mystical lore recounts the story of Devi Sati, who sacrificed her life by leaping into a sacrificial fire convened by her father King Daksheshwara. In his intense grief, Lord Shiva ran about with Sati’s body; upon seeing this distraught display of love and devotion, Lord Vishnu interceded using His Sudarshan Chakra to divide Sati’s body into fifty-one pieces. One such part – the crown – descended here at its final resting place.
The divine river Bhagirathi and the glorious goddess Maa Kiriteswari sanctify this prestigious town, renowned for its celebrated Hindu temple in West Bengal.
The iconic temple of the town is that of Maa Kiriteshwari. What makes this temple remarkable is its lack of a tangible deity; rather, there’s only an uncovered red-colored stone serving as her symbolic representation. This veiling and bathing ritual can be seen once annually on Ashtami during Durga Puja celebrations – when a new veil is placed around the stone and she receives sanctified ablutions in honor of her revered headdress. For centuries devotees have faithfully worshipped Kiriteswari through these customs.
The Kiriteshwari temple is a place of great festivity, particularly during the celebration of Durga Puja and Navaratri. On these days, the temple exudes an ethereal beauty with its decorations of fresh flowers and bright lights. Here devotees can find solace from mundane life as their hearts and minds benefit from this divine atmosphere filled with peace.
By Air
The nearest airport is at Kolkata, located about 195 km from Murshidabad. The airport is well connected by flights to Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. From the airport taxi services are available for Murshidabad.
By Rail
Murshidabad railway station is connected by trains to Howrah, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmadabad and several other Indian cities. Taxi services are available from the station.
By Road
Mushidabad is well connected by road. State-run buses from Kolkata, Burdwan, Rampurhat, Suri, Bolpur, Malda, Krishnagar and Durgapur do ply regularly to Murshidabad. One can also hire a taxi to reach Murshidabad from the above mentioned places.
