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Dakshineswar Temple is famous and one of the important pilgrimage centers of India. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali, and was built in 1847 A.D., by Rani Rasmoni, on the bank of Ganga (Hughly) River.
The majestic Dakshineswar temple is dedicated to mother Goddess Kali and this temple is a pilgrimage mecca for not only Hindus but of other religious sects as well. The very name of the temple of Dakshineswar conjures the image of the spiritual giant Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
Legend has it that Rani Rashmoni who by birth was born to a fisherman's family and later on was married to a rich Bengali merchant was blessed with a divine vision which directed her to build a temple of Kali in Bengal. Ever since that dream, she ran from pillar to post in search of land where she could build the Kali temple. Her ordeal came to an end when she bought a sprawling 25 acres of land at Dakshineswar. The temple was built in 1855.
Dakshineshwar Kali Temple is built on a raised platform. Built in the traditional 'Nava-ratna' or nine spires style of Bengal architecture, the three-storeyed south-facing temple has nine spires distributed in upper two storeys, and stands on a high platform with a flight of stairs, over all it measures 46 feet (14 m) square and rises over 100 feet high.
 The garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) houses an idol of goddess Kali idol, known as Bhavataraini, standing on the chest of a lying Shiva, and the two idols are placed on a thousand-petaled lotus made of silver. Close to the main temple are the row of twelve identical Shiva temples built facing the east in the typical ‘Aat Chala’ Bengal architecture, they are built on either side of the ghat on the Hoogly river. To the North east of the Temple Complex is the Vishnu Temple or the Radha Kanta’s Temple. A flight of steps lead to the columned verandah and into the temple where a silver throne rests with a 21 and half inches idol of Lord Krishna and 16 inches idol of Radha.
Source: culturalindia.net
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