Samantahfp at 07:00, 29 November 2025

2025-11-29T07:00:35Z

New page

{{Short description|Hindu temple in West Bengal, India}}
{{Infobox Mandir
|name = Jalpesh Temple
|image = Jalpesh Temple.jpg
|caption =
|deity = [[Shiva]]
|country = {{flag|India}}
|state = [[West Bengal]]
|district = [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]]
|locale = [[Mainaguri]]
|creator = [[Biswa Singha]]
|established = 1524 <br /> 1563 (reconstruction) <br /> 1653 (Reconstructed by Raja Pran Narayana) <br /> 30 January 1899 (Restoration by Queen Jagadeswari Devi)
|festival = [[Maha Shivaratri]]
|temple_board = Jalpesh Temple Board of Trustees
|governing_body =
}}

'''Jalpesh Temple'''<ref name="northbengaltourism">{{cite web |title=Japlesh Temple |url=https://northbengaltourism.com/jalpesh-temple/ |website=northbengaltourism.com |language=en |access-date=2023-04-05 |archive-date=2023-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405052306/https://northbengaltourism.com/jalpesh-temple/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ({{langx|rkt|zolpeś mondir}}, {{langx|bn|jolpeś mondir}}) is an important [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the Bhramari Saktipitha's Bhairava as Jalpesh. The worshiped in this temple is Bhairava as Jalpesh, a form of [[Shiva]] – one of Hinduism's trinity of supreme divinity. The temple is located on the banks of the [[Dharla River|Jarda]] river, 7–8 km from [[Mainaguri]] town in the Indian state of [[West Bengal]].

== History ==
[[Biswa Singha|Bishwa Singha]], father of Maharaja [[Nara Narayan]] of [[Cooch Behar State|Cooch Behar]], founded the Jalpesh temple in 1524. Later he rebuilt the temple in 1563. Again after 100 years, King Pran Narayan rebuilt this temple in 1663.<ref name="coochbehar-gov1">{{cite web |title=Cooch Behar Government: Royal History : Book of Facts and Events |url=http://www.coochbehar.gov.in/Htmfiles/history_book.html |website=www.coochbehar.gov.in |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=en |archive-date=23 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023142432/http://www.coochbehar.gov.in/HTMfiles/history_book.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="bengali-indianexpress1">{{cite web |title=বহু প্রাচীন মন্দির, যার সঙ্গে জড়িয়ে আছে রাজকাহিনিও |url=https://bengali.indianexpress.com/lifestyle/jalpesh-temple-in-jalpaiguri-476926/ |website=bengali.indianexpress.com |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=bn |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405053850/https://bengali.indianexpress.com/lifestyle/jalpesh-temple-in-jalpaiguri-476926/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the reign of King Lakshmi Narayan of Cooch Behar, Mahidev Raikut declared his independence in 1621 AD, refusing to obedience to the [[Koch dynasty]]. Since then the temple was under the supervision of [[Raikat|Raikats of Baikunthapur]]. It was restored on 30 January 1899 by Rani Jagadeswari Devi, wife of King Jagendra Deva Raikut.<ref name="bengali-indianexpress1"/><ref name="kolkata24x7-1">{{cite web |title=শিব চতুর্দশী উপলক্ষ্যে জমজমাট শৈবতীর্থ জল্পেশ |url=https://kolkata24x7.com/shivratri-jalpesh-tempel-north-bengal.html |website=kolkata24x7.com |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=bn |archive-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407155132/https://kolkata24x7.com/shivratri-jalpesh-tempel-north-bengal.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

An [[earthquake]] occurred in [[Jalpaiguri district]] on 26 April 2015 at 11:41 AM (IST). The duration of the earthquake was 58 seconds. Initially, the magnitude of the tremor was 7.5 on the Richter scale, but it was finally 7.8. [[University of North Bengal]]'s meteorologist Subir Sarkar said that the magnitude of the earthquake in Jalpaiguri was 6.9 on the Richter scale. The earthquake caused numerous cracks in the walls and spire of the ancient Jalpesh temple.<ref name="anandabazar2">{{cite web |title=ফের ভূকম্পে ফাটল জল্পেশের মন্দিরে |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/north-bengal/earthquake-makes-crack-in-jalpesh-temple-1.139288 |website=Anandabazar |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=bn |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405055312/https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/north-bengal/earthquake-makes-crack-in-jalpesh-temple-1.139288 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Deity ==
The worshipped deity in the temple is Bhairava as Jalpesh. Inside the temple there is a [[Lingam|Shivalinga]] called 'Anadi'.<ref name="dooars-info">{{cite web |title=Jalpesh Mandir (জল্পেশ মন্দির) – Mahashivaratri is the key festival celebrated in this temple |url=http://dooars.info/jalpesh-mandir-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-mahashivaratri-is-the-key-festival-celebrated-in-this-temple/ |website=dooars.info |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=en |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405053250/http://dooars.info/jalpesh-mandir-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0-mahashivaratri-is-the-key-festival-celebrated-in-this-temple/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Festivals and fairs ==
The main festival celebrated in this temple is [[Maha Shivaratri|Mahashivratri]]. Pilgrims come in July–August and February–March to worship [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]]. Shravani Mela is held in the temple during the month of [[Shravana (month)|Shravan]]. Ever since the construction of the temple in the 17th century, a famous fair started here on the occasion of [[Maha Shivaratri|Shiva Ratri]]. The fair is one of the oldest fairs in [[West Bengal]]. Hundreds of thousands of people gather for the fair. Before [[Independence Day (India)|India's independence]], elephants were sold at these fairs. People from [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]], [[Bangladesh]] and other nearby states come here for the fair.<ref name="anandabazar3">{{cite web |title=পর্যটক টানতে ঢেলে সাজা হচ্ছে জল্পেশ, জটিলেশ্বর |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/state/jalpesh-jatileshwar-two-unique-tourist-spots-in-wb-dgtl-1.253696 |website=Anandabazar |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=bn |archive-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407155530/https://www.anandabazar.com/state/jalpesh-jatileshwar-two-unique-tourist-spots-in-wb-dgtl-1.253696 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="anandabazar4">{{cite web |title=জল্পেশ জমজমাট |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/north-bengal/pilgrims-are-coming-at-jalpesh-temple-1.1027879 |website=Anandabazar |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=en |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405061543/https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/north-bengal/pilgrims-are-coming-at-jalpesh-temple-1.1027879 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Jalpesh Temple gallery ==
<gallery widths="230px" heights="170px">
File:Jalpesh Temple by Tirtha.aec09.jpg|
File:Jalpesh Shiva temple 13.jpg|
File:Jalpesh Shiva temple 22.jpg|
</gallery>

==References==
{{Commons category}}

{{Reflist|3}}

{{Hindu temples in West Bengal}}

{{coord|26.52565|88.86684|format=dms|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}

[[Category:Shiva temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Jalpaiguri district]]
[[Category:Culture of West Bengal]]
[[Category:16th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Bengal temple architecture]]

Jalpesh Temple - Revision history

Samantahfp at 07:00, 29 November 2025