West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (October 16, 2025) announced the construction of the Mahakal temple at Siliguri in Darjeeling district. This is the third major project of constructing temples undertaken by the West Bengal government after the Jagannath temple in Digha and Durga Angan at Rajarhat.
“I have also asked DM [District Magistrate, Darjeeling] to look for land for a convention centre at Siliguri, and next to it, I will construct a big Mahakal temple. It will have the highest tower. For this, we will have to set up a trust, but everything will be done by us [the West Bengal government], taking along everyone, including private players, who are willing to join us,” the Chief Minister told media persons in Darjeeling. The Trinamool Congress chairperson announced the construction of the Mahakal temple at Siliguri after visiting the famous Mahakal temple at Darjeeling hills.
After inaugurating a ₹250-crore Jagannath temple at Digha earlier this year, Ms. Banerjee had announced Durga Angan at Rajarhat. On Thursday (October 15), she said the task of setting up the trust for the temple had been completed, and she had looked into the architecture of the temple.
The announcement of construction of the third temple in a span of a year assumes significance as it goes with the “soft Hindutva” push of West Bengal’s ruling party. Political observers say this move of constructing temples is an attempt to counter the “aggressive Hindutva” push by the BJP.
