West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently announced an ambitious plan to construct a grand Mahakal temple in Siliguri, located in the Darjeeling district. This initiative marks the third significant temple-building project undertaken by the state government, following the Jagannath temple in Digha and the Durga Angan at Rajarhat.
Addressing the media in Darjeeling, the Chief Minister stated, “I have instructed the District Magistrate of Darjeeling to identify suitable land for a convention center in Siliguri, and adjacent to it, we will build a magnificent Mahakal temple featuring the highest tower.” She added that while a trust would be established, the state government, in collaboration with interested private entities, would manage the entire project. This announcement followed her visit to the renowned Mahakal temple in the Darjeeling hills.
Earlier this year, Ms. Banerjee had inaugurated the ₹250-crore Jagannath temple in Digha and subsequently announced the Durga Angan project in Rajarhat. She confirmed that the trust for the new Mahakal temple has been finalized, and architectural plans are already underway.
The state’s ruling party’s decision to undertake a third temple construction project within a year is seen by political observers as a strategic “soft Hindutva” move. This initiative is widely interpreted as an attempt to counterbalance the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) more assertive Hindutva agenda in the region.
During her visit, where she was overseeing flood relief efforts in Darjeeling, the Chief Minister also appealed to tourists to return to the popular hill station. North Bengal, including Darjeeling and its neighboring districts, experienced severe floods and landslides earlier this month, necessitating the rescue of hundreds of stranded tourists.
“Tourists are gradually returning, and I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of them. The recent floods had severely impacted tourist arrivals, but we successfully rescued approximately 1,500 visitors,” Ms. Banerjee explained.
She further reassured the public that two key roads leading to Darjeeling—one from Tindharia and another from Pankhabari—have already been reopened, and the road from Rohini is expected to be accessible within 15 to 20 days. “I earnestly encourage tourists to visit Darjeeling,” she concluded.