Three Centuries Later, This Shiv Temple in West Bengal Opens Its Doors to Dalits

After nearly three centuries, Dalit devotees have finally been allowed to enter into the Gideshwar Shiv Temple in a West Bengal village, marking a historic victory for all those who have been fighting against the caste system. On March 12, representatives of 130 Dalit families finally stepped into the Gideshwar Shiv Temple in Purba Bardhaman district's Katwa subdivision, making history with each step. This historical breakthrough came after weeks of resistance, economic boycotts, and subsequent intervention by the local authorities.

Around 10 AM, five members from the Das community—including four women and one man—climbed the temple steps in Gidhgram’s Daspara region. Under the protection of police, they poured milk and water on the Shivling and offered their prayers to the deity without any resistance.

A 300-Year-Long Wait

Generations of Dalit families walked past the Gideshwar Shiv Temple knowing that they couldn’t enter to pray to the deity they revered. For the Dalit community, this was more than just about worship; it was about their dignity, respect, and the right to exist in the same sacred spaces as everyone else. Now, after centuries of discrimination, in a long-overdue moment, the doors of the temple have finally opened to them.

Before this, when they had tried to break this practice on Maha Shivratri (26th February, 2025), they were met with strong opposition. They were pressurised to leave and had to face economic boycotts. A ban was also put on selling milk from their cattle. However, the Dalit families were determined to worship at the Gideshwar Shiv Temple, so they turned to the administration for their support.

After several discussions, an important meeting on Tuesday, led by Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Ahimsa Jain, finally resolved the issue. Local MLAs, police officials, and temple committee members attended, ensuring that Dalit families could worship freely.

A Moment of Celebration

As Dalit devotees entered the temple for the first time, emotions ran high. There was joy, relief, and an overwhelming sense of victory as it wasn’t just about religion, it was about breaking the caste barriers that have existed for far too long.

“We are ecstatic to have been granted the right to perform puja at the temple. I prayed to God for everyone’s well-being,” said Santosh Das, a villager who was previously barred from entering the temple.

“We received tremendous support from the local police and administration on whom we had reposed our faith,” added Ekkori Das. However, she also put forward her concerns over whether the temple doors would remain open once the police protection was withdrawn.

Temple Authorities Not Entirely In Favour

While the administration took the resolution as a step towards equality as well as inclusion, some temple authorities admitted that they were not entirely in favour of this act.

"We used to take care of everything at the temple during the Gajan fair. It is now a big question whether we will be able to maintain the purity and sanctity of the ancient tradition of puja at the temple,” said Sanat Mandal, a temple servant.

However, the local political leaders have welcomed this development. “It wasn’t easy to break the deadlock arising out of a long-standing tradition. Standing in the 21st century, such ideas cannot be entertained. God is with everyone. Together, we managed to convince everyone of this. That is what has resolved the dispute,” said Trinamool Congress MLA Apurba Chatterjee.