Durga Mandir, Hindu temple in Ramnagar, India

Durga Mandir is a Hindu temple in Ramnagar, Varanasi, built on a square plan: a square campus, a square main building on a square stage, and walls with designs set in square blocks. In front of it lies a large square stone pond (Pushkarni) with steps on all sides, four watch pillars at its corners and a stone shade on one side.

Durga Mandir was built by Kashi Naresh Maharaja Balwant Singh, ruler of Benares between 1738 and 1770, who also built Ramnagar Fort. In 1778, during the conflict with Raja Chait Singh, East India Company sepoys attacked Ramnagar from the west; the temple, on the western boundary, was hit by cannon fire and largely destroyed. A brown patch on top of the temple marks the cannon rounds. The damaged parts were later rebuilt.

The temple is also called Monkey Temple because of the many monkeys living around it, and non-Hindus are not allowed inside. Crowds of devotees come on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and thousands of pilgrims gather during Navaratri. The nearby Hanuman Sankat Mochan temple is visited together with this one.

The best time to visit is during a regular day when quieter conditions allow you to explore the architectural details and inner courtyard thoroughly. The stone steps around the water tank can be slippery, especially when wet, so take care when walking near or descending to the tank.

The temple is also called Monkey Temple because of the many monkeys living around it. It ranks after Kashi Vishwanath and Annapurna temples in importance, and non-Hindus are not allowed inside. A Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple stands next to it.