Kali Bari Mandir is a
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
temple situated on Bantony Hill,
Shimla
Shimla, also known as Simla ( the official name until 1972), is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of British India. After independence, the city ...
. The temple is dedicated to fearsome reincarnation of
Goddess Kali, known as Shyamala, after which the Shimla city may be named. The goddess is believed to have existed near
Jakhoo.
History
Kali Bari temple was originally built in 1823 by a
Bengali Brahmin
Bengali Brahmins are the community of Hindu Brahmins, who traditionally reside in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, currently comprising the Indian state of West Bengal and the country of Bangladesh.
The Bengali Brahmins, along wi ...
Ram Charan Brahamchari in the vicinity of
Rothney Castle on
Jakhoo Hill. That's why it resembles the
Dakshineswar Kali Temple
Dakshineswar Kali Temple or Dakshineswar Kalibari is a Hindu navaratna style temple in Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River. The presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini (Kali), a form of ...
in
Kolkata
Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
. It is one of the ancient temples of the city and features a unique
Hindu-style architecture along with blue coloured wooden idol of goddess Kali. Later, the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
shifted the location of the temple to Bantony Hill. The temple trust formed in 1902 mainly consists of
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
members.
View
The temple is located in middle of the city center. It has a beautiful scenic charm of the city as well as of nature. Shimla's Old Bus Stand,
ARTRAC,
Annadale,
Railway Board Building,
Shimla Railway Station,
Shri Hanuman Jakhu can be seen from the temple premises. The temple attracts a lot of tourists and devotees.
References
{{Hindu temples in Himachal Pradesh, state=Himachal Pradesh
Tourist attractions in Shimla
Hindu temples in Himachal Pradesh
Temples_in_Shimla