DHAKA
A crown of Goddess Kali at the Jeshoreshwari Temple in Bangladesh’s Satkhira, gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been stolen, according to reports.
The silver, gold-plated crown was reportedly stolen on Thursday between 2.00 pm and 2.30 pm when Temple Priest Dilip Mukherjee left following the day’s worship. The cleaning staff later found that the crown was missing from the deity’s head, Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star claimed.
“We are reviewing the temple’s CCTV footage to identify the thief,” said Inspector Taizul Islam of Shyamnagar Police Station. The stolen crown holds significant religious importance for devotees as the Jeshoreshwari Temple is revered as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas spread across India and neighbouring countries.
The incident during the ongoing Navratri, a Hindu festival that celebrates the nine incarnations of the goddess Durga, also worshipped as Maa Kali.
Prime Minister Modi presented the crown to the Jeshoreshwari Temple in March 2021, during his visit to Bangladesh. He placed the crown on the head of the deity as a symbolic gesture.
The temple, located in Ishwaripur, Satkhira, is believed to have been built in the latter half of the 12th century by a Brahman named Anari who constructed the temple with 100 doors for the Jashoreshwari Pith.
Later, it was renovated by Lakshman Sen in the 13th century, and eventually, Raja Pratapaditya rebuilt the temple in the 16th century.
During his visit, PM Modi had said that India will build a multipurpose community hall at the temple. Emphasising its use for social, religious and educational events for local people, PM Modi said it will act as a shelter for all at the time of disasters like cyclones.
