Temples & Legends of Bengal
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Temples & Legends Of India

KIRTESWARI TEMPLE
Kiritesvari is a very ancient deity. Tantrachuramani scripture in its discussions on the Pithasthans mentions the fall of portion of the Kiriti or tiara. According to Tantrachuramani, however, the presiding deity is Bimala and the
attending Bhairava is Sambarta.

This place is one of the 51 Pithasthans according to Tantrachuramani.  It is, however, taken as an Upapithas as no limb of the Devi fell there but a portion of her ornament.  Maha Nil Tantra scripture, however, mentions the deity as Kiritesvari.2

It is said that Kiritesvari Devi was the presiding deity of the ruling house of Murshidabad.  When the ruling families
of Murshidabad capital was at the height of its glory, Kiritesvari Devi was worshipped by hundreds of devotees every day.  The decline of one meant the decline of the other.   It is difficult to say which one was the cause and which the effect.

2 See Murshidabader Itihas (Bengali) by Nikhil Nath Roy, a rare book now.

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