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Introduction
The present Hatimura temple, at Silghat, in Nowgong district, was probably built on the ruins of an
old stone ’temple in the Saka year 1667 (1745-46 A.D.) in the reign of King Pramatt
Singh of the Ahom dynasty. It is a brick temple, which still exists although in a very
dilapidated condition. The presiding deity of the temple is the Mahisamardini. The goddess
is represented with slender waist, broad breasts, ten hands, and holding different weapons
in each hand.
She is seen placing her right foot on the lion, and pressing the shoulder of the buffalodemon with her left. She pierces the
tridentthrough the body of the demon, and has fastened his arm with a noose. To put her
weight on the Asura, the goddess is slightly bent to the left. The lion is also
represented attacking the demon. The whole composi- tion of the goddess is as given in the
text.
The temple was one of the important centres of Saktism. in
early Assam. At one time even human sacrifices were made at the altars of the temple. A
big sword supposed to have been used for human sacrifices has been deposited in Assam
Provincial Museum, Gauhati.
Author - H.V.Sreenivasa Murthy And B.K. Barua
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