Ugratara temple main idol loot: Five detained

The Police detained five persons in connection with the sensational thief that took place at Ugratara temple in Guwahati. The Latasil police detained five in connection with the loot and vandalism of the famous Ugratara temple and are interrogating them in connection with the loot of the main idol besides valuables and offerings. They were identified as San Ahmed, Munna Souhan, Raju Mahato, Ajay Boro and Ratul Keot.

The temple priest on Friday morning had opened the temple, which is just barely 200 meters from the Latasil Police Station, and found that the main idol was missing and all items vandalized.  The devotees immediately thronged the area and a shocked police pressed in dog squad and in the CCTV found 4 thieves merrily decamped with all the looted goods.

The idol was made of "ostadhatu" and considered one of the 52 holiest places for the Hindu religion in India.

The Ugratara Devalaya is situated in the heart of the Guwahati city, in the Uzan Bazar area. It attracts large number of pilgrims every year. The 'Navaratri' is the most celebrated holy festival in this temple every year. Traditionally the temple practices animal sacrifices to please the goddess. Ugratara is believed to the aroused or demonic form of Sati. In this form she loves liquor, meat and utter devotion. That is why goats, cocks, ducks and even buffalos sacrificed in the temple.

During Durga Puja and Kali Puja the temple campus sees maximum sacrifices.

Around 1730 AD, Ahom King Siva Singha excavated two large tanks on the east of the current temple. Three years later he built a small but beautiful temple on the banks of these tanks. These tanks are now called Jorpukhri (Jurpukhuri), Jur means 'couple' and 'pukhuri' means tank in Assamese.

Unlike other Hindu temples, Ugratara doesn't have any idol or image of the deity. Inside the temple core there is a small pit filled with water whihc is considered as Goddess. The 1897 devastating earth quake damaged this temple too. But later it was repaired and idol was also added later.