Did You Know Hyderabad Has Its Own Dakshineswar Kali Temple That Will Transport You To Kolkata? 

In the Dakshineswar Temple in Kolkata, Swami Vivekananda met his guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, who became one with the divine. The temple built by Rani Rashmoni, a devotee of Goddess Kali, is a major pilgrimage site nestled by the Hooghly River. Synonymous with Kolkata, the Dakshineswar Temple holds deep spiritual significance in the hearts of devotees of Maa Kali. But did you know Hyderabad has a piece of Kolkata held within it? In Hyderabad lies a replica of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple that will instantly transport devotees to the ‘City of Joy’.

Hyderabad Has A Replica Of Kolkata’s Dakshineswar Kali Temple

In 2012, Barun Rana, the general secretary of Bengali Swarna Shilpi Samithi, had a vision— Goddess Kali appeared in his dream. Profoundly affected by the appearance of Maa Kali, Barun Rana met then president of the association, Dipankar Pal to build a temple for her in Hyderabad. The report by The Hans India further revealed that it took eight years and 94 volunteers to bring a piece of Kolkata’s Dakshineswar Temple to Hyderabad.

The Bengali Swarna Shilpi Samithi created a replica of the pilgrimage site in Narkuda village in Shamshabad, Hyderabad. In 2020, Swarna Shilpi Vivekananda Kali Mandir opened to devotees.

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Built In Navaratna-Style, It Houses Many Deities

Spread across three acres of land, constructed in the traditional Navaratna (nine-spired) architecture, the temple complex houses a majestic idol of Maa Kali and shrines dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna, a Shiva Linga and Lord Venkateshwara. A one-of-a-kind temple in South India, it took a vision of Maa Kali herself, eight years, hearts filled with devotion and 94 volunteers to bring it to life.

Like the Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Kolkata, its replica in Hyderabad also offers a serene, spiritual experience. The sacred space is visited by many devotees daily. Surrounded by lush greenery and a water body, there’s a sense of calm when one walks in. The pandas perform aartis and distribute prasad with a lot of devotion.

Hyderabad’s Swami Vivekananda Kali Mandir is a place every Maa Kali devotee in Hyderabad can seek darshan of the benevolent Goddess. For those missing Kolkata, it feels just like home.

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When are you visiting Hyderabad’s very own Dakshineswar Kali Temple?

Cover Image Courtesy: Reddit/r/hyderabad and Sibasish Karmakar