The Daily Star, a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper, reported that a crown given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Jeshoreshwari Temple in Bangladesh, dedicated to goddess Kali, has been stolen.
The silver crown, plated with gold, that decorated Goddess Kali's head disappeared on Thursday afternoon, right after the temple priest finished the day's worship ceremonies. The cleaning team noticed the crown was missing later in the day.
During his trip to Bangladesh in March 2021, Prime Minister Modi personally gave the stolen crown to the Jeshoreshwari Temple. During the visit, he symbolically placed the crown on the deity's head.
The stolen item was taken on Thursday between 2.00 pm and 2.30 pm, right after Temple Priest Dilip Mukherjee finished the daily worship. The crown was discovered missing from the deity's head by the cleaning staff, according to The Daily Star.
The Indian High Commission in Bangladesh has conveyed serious worries about the recent theft of the goddess Kali's crown from the Jeshoreshwari temple. The Daily Star reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted the crown during his March 2021 visit to the temple. The High Commission of India in Bangladesh tweeted about the theft of the crown given by PM Modi to Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple in Satkhira during his 2021 visit to Bangladesh.
The Indian side requested the Bangladeshi government to initiate an investigation and take strict action against the culprits. It added that we are deeply concerned and encourage the government of Bangladesh to investigate the theft, recover the crown, and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Inspector Taizul Islam from Shyamnagar Police Station stated that they are examining the temple's CCTV footage to determine the thief. The stolen crown is crafted from silver and covered in gold, holding great cultural and religious significance.
The Jeshoreshwari Temple is considered one of the 51 Shakti Peeths spread throughout India and nearby countries in Hindu mythology. The meaning of the name "Jeshoreshwari" is "Goddess of Jeshore." During his Bangladesh trip, PM Modi visited the Jeshoreshwari Temple on March 27, 2021. That day, he put the crown on the deity's head as a symbolic act.
Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple
The Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple, located in Ishwaripur village in Shyam Nagar, Upazila of Satkhira, is a well-known Hindu temple dedicated to the Goddess Kali. The temple is thought to have been constructed by a Brahman called Anari towards the end of the 12th century.
A temple with 100 doors was built for the Jashoreshwari Peeth (shrine) by him, then renovated by Lakshman Sen in the 13th century, and eventually reconstructed by Raja Pratapaditya in the 16th century.
In Hindu mythology, it is believed that the temple at Ishwaripur is where Goddess Sati's palms and soles fell, and she now resides there as Devi Jashoreshwari, with Lord Shiva taking the form of Chanda.
