Two centuries of Baroghoria Temple

The 200-year-old Baroghoria Temple houses 22 idols.Photo: STAR

Durga Puja was celebrated recently with much pomp and pageantry at Baroghoria village, under sadar upazila in Chapainawabganj. The venue of this celebration was the historic 200-year-old Baroghoria Baish Putul Sarbojonin Durga Temple.
According to sources, 200 years ago, when zamindar Jodu Nandan and Ashu Chowdhury (of Maldah) commissioned a kachharibari at Baroghoria village, the local Hindu community built this temple. A major Durga Puja celebration started at the temple since then.
Twenty-two idols, including Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh, surround Durga at this temple.
Dilip Kumar Saha, president of Baroghoria Baish Putul Sarbojonin Durga Temple said that it is one of the major Durga Puju celebrations in the northern part of country. What sets this temple apart is the pantheon of 22 idols; most temples usually house 6/7 idols including Durga.
However, locals bemoan the fact that the celebration is losing its splendour gradually.
A five-day long mela (fair) was also held in front of the temple on the occasion. Around 100 stalls were set up at the temple premises. Traders from different parts of the country displayed their products at the mela.