Negheriting Shiva Doul, Hindu temple and Monument of National Importance in Dergaon, India.
Negheriting Shiva Doul is a Panchayatana temple: the main shrine with its tower stands at the centre, surrounded by four subsidiary shrines at the corners dedicated to Durga, Ganesha, Surya and Vishnu. The flat-brick temple, reached by a long stone stairway, houses a Banalinga about three feet in diameter.
The older temple is mentioned in the Buranjis in connection with wars against the Kachari kingdom in the early 16th century, when the Dergaon area belonged to the Kachari domain before its annexation by the Ahoms under Suhungmung. After the earlier shrine was lost to the Dihing river, King Rajeswar Singha had the linga recovered and in 1765 built the present brick temple, with Ghanashyam Khonikar as architect.
The temple's rituals were entrusted by King Rajeswar Singha to the priest Bhudhar Agamacharji, whose descendants still perform the worship. Devadasi dances called Deonati, performed by women known as Noti, were once prominent here; the Noti wore a tall topknot called the Negheri khopa.
The temple is accessible throughout the year with regular worship services following a set schedule. Visitors should inquire ahead if they wish to participate in specific ceremonies or rituals.
The name comes from the Negheri bird, which once nested on the hillock. The temple's Banalinga, about three feet in diameter, was recovered from the shallow water of the Dihing River at a spot now called Sheetal Negheri.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,045 contributors worldwide.