Overview
The national temple of Bangladesh and the most prominent Hindu temple in Dhaka. Tradition holds that the city takes its name from the goddess: Dhaka, from Dhakeshwari.
History
Popularly attributed to the twelfth century and to King Ballal Sen of the Sena dynasty, who is said to have installed a Durga image found buried at the spot. That attribution is traditional and is not established. The building has been repeatedly rebuilt, so little if any twelfth-century fabric is likely to survive. No historic architectural vocabulary was found in the sources: they agree only that the structure has been rebuilt repeatedly.
Spiritual Significance
A capital city named after a goddess is a claim worth taking seriously even when it cannot be proved. Whatever the etymology, Dhakeshwari is the centre of Hindu religious life in Bangladesh and functions as the community's principal public institution, which is why its Durga Puja is a national event rather than a local one.
Prayers at Dhakeshwari Temple, Dhaka
जय अम्बे गौरी, मैया जय श्यामा गौरी
नमो नमो दुर्गे सुख करनी।नमो नमो अम्बे दुःख हरनी॥
अयि गिरिनन्दिनि नन्दितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नन्दिनुते गिरिवरविन्ध्यशिरोऽधिनिवासिनि विष्णुविलासिनि जिष्णुनुते।
ॐ अस्य श्रीचण्डीकवचस्यब्रह्मा ऋषिः अनुष्टुप् छन्दः
ॐ अस्य श्रीअर्गलास्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य विष्णुर्ऋषिः अनुष्टुप् छन्दः
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये
Pilgrimage Information
Confirm festival dates and local conditions close to the time of travel. Several of these sites hold gatherings of very large scale.
Preservation
Protection status. No Department of Archaeology or UNESCO listing was found in the sources consulted.
Sources
- Dhakeshwari Temple other
About this page
Researched and written by YatraBeyond from published sources, and not yet confirmed by the temple. Facts here are cross-checked against at least two independent sources, never written from memory, and every source is listed above.
Last reviewed by us: 2026-09-17. Timings, entry rules and access can change without notice; treat anything time-sensitive as a starting point and confirm before you travel.
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