Shikarpur Temple restored as six ancient tiger statues return

Jalpaiguri: After nearly six years, the historic temples of Debi Chaudhurani and Bhavani Pathak (Sannyasi Thakur) in Shikarpur have been restored completely with the return of six ancient stone tiger statues. On Friday, the temple committee received the statues from the custody of the Jalpaiguri District Magistrate. The idols, believed to be centuries old, will be ceremonially reinstalled at the temple entrance on Saturday after the puja of Debi Chaudhurani and Bhavani Pathak.

The temple was gutted in a devastating fire on February 16, 2018, reducing the structure and idols to ashes. Only the tiger statues survived unharmed. Though the temple and its idols were rebuilt in 2022 under government initiative, the tigers remained under official safekeeping, leaving the shrine incomplete in the eyes of devotees.

On Friday, led by Rajganj MLA Khageshwar Roy, the temple committee, with Subrata Mondal, assistant manager of Shikarpur Tea Estate, restored the statues to the temple. “The tiger idols are symbols of faith for generations. Their absence left the temple incomplete. With their return, Saturday’s puja will be a true festival,” said Gopal Roy, secretary, temple committee

Anandagopal Ghosh, State Heritage Commission member, noted that tiger worship in the region has deep cultural roots. “This area, once under Bhutanese and British rule, retained folk traditions of worshipping tigers and spirits. The presence of tiger idols reflects that heritage,” he said, adding that such antique artifacts must be reinstalled with care.

MLA Khageshwar Roy stated that, along with the temple’s reconstruction in 2022, Rs 1 crore from the Gajoldoba Development Authority was used to beautify the premises with a boundary wall, engraved panels depicting the Sannyasi rebellion, and two new gates. District Magistrate Shama Parveen confirmed: “On the request of the temple committee, the six tiger idols were returned to them intact.”

With the return of the statues, Shikarpur’s centuries-old shrine stands fully restored—ready to host devotees in what is expected to be a grand celebration on Saturday.