Durga Temple

Home » Varanasi Attractions » Durga Temple

Durga temple is one of Varanasi’s most prominent and highly visited temples dedicated to Goddess Durga, a manifestation of Parvati who is the consort of Lord Shiva. Also known as the monkey temple, its presence at the very epicenter of an otherwise ‘Shivaite’ region is both surprising and significant. Durga is the Shakti, the manifestation that signifies the female element of Power and harmony in nature.

Located at a distance of 2 km from Varanasi, the temple was built in the 18th century by a Bengali maharani. The Nagara style of architecture prevalent in Northern India was used to construct the temple which now sits on a large rectangular tank called Durga Kund in the Southern sector of the city. The design comprises of many small spires built one on top or another resulting in an multi-tiered shikhara(spire). The shikhara of the temple is formed by many small spires which are built one on top of the other. The site also finds its mention in the Vedic Puranas which describes it as a place kept and protected by Goddess Durga for many centuries.

According to local belief, the main statue inside the sanctum sanctorum of Goddess Durga was not manmade but appeared on its own. Because of the large number of monkeys that are found inside the temple complex, the Durga temple is also called the Monkey temple. Non-Hindus are allowed only upto the courtyard of the Durga temple but not inside the inner sanctum. Although the shrine is visited by thousands of devotees all through the year, the temple is a sight to behold during the annual Navratri and other auspicious occasions.