A crown gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple in Bangladesh has been reported stolen.
The crown, made of silver and gold, holds immense religious and cultural significance and was discovered missing on Thursday afternoon from the temple located in the Shyamnagar area of Satkhira district.
The theft reportedly occurred between 2:00 and 2:30 PM, during a short window after Temple Priest Dilip Mukherjee left following the day's worship. "We are reviewing the temple's CCTV footage to identify the thief," said Inspector Taizul Islam of Shyamnagar Police Station, as efforts to track the stolen artifact are underway.
The temple's cleaning staff discovered that the crown was missing from the deity's head, creating alarm among the local Hindu community. The Jeshoreshwari Temple, considered one of the 51 Shakti Peeths in the region, is of great historical and mythological significance. According to Hindu beliefs, the temple marks the spot where the palms and soles of the goddess Sati fell, and it is one of the most revered shrines in South Asia.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted the crown during his visit to Bangladesh in March 2021, his first international trip after the COVID-19 pandemic. The crown, which the Prime Minister personally placed on the deity's head, was seen as a powerful symbolic gesture during his visit to the temple. The trip emphasized India-Bangladesh cultural ties, with Modi paying homage at one of the most sacred Hindu temples in the region.
The Prime Minister also shared a video of the event, highlighting the importance of his visit to the temple as part of his 2021 trip .
The Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple, dedicated to the goddess Kali, is believed to have been built in the 12th century by a Brahmin named Anari. Over the centuries, the temple has undergone renovations by various rulers, including Lakshman Sen in the 13th century and Raja Pratapaditya in the 16th century. The structure is famous for its 100-door architectural design, and it remains one of the most important Shakti Peeths in the Hindu tradition.
As the investigation into the theft continues, authorities are hopeful that reviewing surveillance footage and other clues will lead to the recovery of the sacred crown, an object that holds deep religious meaning for worshippers at the Jeshoreshwari temple.
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