500-yr-old Durga temple cries for natl heritage

Shillong, Sept 3: The Central Puja Committee have approached the Centre and Meghalaya government to declare the 500-year-old Durga temple at Nartiang village, as national heritage.

Nartiang, the sleepy hamlet on the Bangladesh border in Jaintia Hills has more to it than it meets the eye. It is simply seeped the in legend and history, making it one of the best-known villages in Meghalaya. This quite village is about 30 Km north to Jowai in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya.

Nartiang is about 65 km south to Shillong.

On the perched of the hill, lies the temple of Durga who was said to be house of the Goddess of the Jaintia Kings. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple was earlier connected by a steep tunnel with the River Myntang which flows just below the hill on which the temple stands.

It is said that the temple construction initially was like a typically Khasi house having a central wooden pillar (Dieng Blai) and the roof was in thatch. Later, thatch-roof was replaced by a corrugated tin roof.

''We want the government to list Durga temple under the national heritage banner because of its historical importance,'' CPC General Secretary J L Das told UNI here.

The CPC had already taken one stride ahead by renovating the 500-year-old temple, the CPC member said, adding that beatification of all the temples located nearby the Nartiang village is on full swing.

During the Durga Puja, this temple draws hundreds and hundreds of Hindus believers from near and far places of this to offer their thanksgiving. Not to forget the temple attracts research scholars.

This temple is still looked after by a Brahmin priest who traces his ancestry to the first royal priest brought by the Jaintia Kings from present Bangladesh.

''I do not really know about all this but, I only know my family has been there for about 500 years since the temple was built,'' said Bapon Debsamikko, son the temple priest. He lives in the temple compound with his wife and children. The temple is now managed by the Doloi (traditional chief of Nartiang).

UNI