The 300-year old Teota Zamindar Palace (তেওতা জমিদার বাড়ী) at the village Teota under Shibalaya Upazila in Manikganj District still stands with pride & dignity becoming a living testimony to the history of that time. Travelers and explorers can’t resist the temptation of having a look at the captivating old palace when they pass through the area. There is a temple just adjacent to this old palace named ‘Nava-Ratna Temple‘ (নব-রত্ন মন্দির). For the readers concern, it is to inform that there are very few ‘Nava-Ratna’ Temples in Bengal.
The navaratna style of temple architecture (Sanskrit: नवरत्न, meaning “nine gems”) incorporates two main levels, each with four spired corner pavilions, and a central pavilion above, for a total of nine spires. The style arose in Bengal during the eighteenth century as an elaboration of the pancharatna (পঞ্চ রত্ন) style that had five pavilions (four at the corners and one above).
Kal Bhairab Temple is a Hindu temple which is dedicated to the God Shiva. The temple is famous for the giant Shivalinga. Shivalinga is a 28-feet tall Shiva statue. No other statue in the world is assumed to be as big as it. Hindu Lord Shiva known as Kal Bhairab is the main attraction here, but Goddess Kali is also been worshiped. The location of statue of Kali is on the right side of the Kal Bhairab and the statue of the Goddess Saraswati on the left. The temple is a major pilgrimage place for Shaivites in Bangladesh.
The temple dates back to the 19th century. It is said that approximately 200 years ago a sculptor named Durgacharan Acharjee saw a dream which motivated and influenced him to make preparations to build the statue from soil. Noor Muhammad, the famous landlord of Sarail donated the land to build this temple.
Before the Brahmanbaria city was established, Medda was the market located beside the famous Titas river. This market is almost 300 years old. Durgacharan first built this statue by the bank of the river with soil. Regular prayers were held by the local fans until 1971.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War the Pakistani soldiers damaged and looted a lot of Hindu temples in Bangladesh. This temple was one of the damaged temples. The soldiers damaged the parts of this statue using dynamite. Later the statue was made again. It took four years to build this statue again but it reached the height of 24 feet. The current statue is made of stone.
Both regular and annual prayers are held here. People from different regions come to visit this temple. This place is also referred as one of the tourist attractions of the Brahmanbaria district. There are management committees to look after the temple. The giant statue of the Shiva is mostly locked for maintenance issues. The Government of Bangladesh looks after the charges for maintenance.
On Dhaka-Betka (Sirajdikhan) highway after passing Sirajdikhan and crossing the river Isamoti, a Hindu Moth is seen on the left side. This moth is called the Fegnasar Moth which is actually a Shiva Temple.
It is 150 feet in height, making it visible from the highway. There is a Shiva Linga inside the moth. Devotees pray here almost regularly. Like other Hindu Moths it has magnificent wall structure. The total place and surrounding is decorated with flower garden specially Joba(Chinese Rose). According to ritual, tulsi plant and jasmine tree is also cultivated.
Specialty of this place is, the Moth was established about 200 years ago. Obviously at that time the road structure was not likewise today. The moth is situated inside a large crop field. It is actually like an island surrounded by rice field. So that if you want to come here, you have to walf from the highway through an off-road trail inside the crop field. In rainy season, the way becomes very muddy and slippery. But you will still enjoy a lot!
Please do not refer this place to people as "Fegnasar Shiva Mandir" because there is another Shiva temple in this locality in this name. Just ask for the "Moth".
Vaggokul Zamindarbari and Adjacent Old Temple has now turned into a RAB camp in Vaggokul, Munshiganj.