हमारी यात्रा

This village temple, a symbol of people’s faith, culture and collective unity, hosts the worship of Maa Durga and Ramlila performances every Navratri. Other religious and cultural events also take place from time to time throughout the year. Through physical, mental and financial contributions, people here reflect an inclusive society in which every section is equal, everyone’s contribution is equal and everyone receives equal respect. This equality unites people’s emotional faith and connects it to the feet of Maa Durga, enshrined in the sanctum of this village temple. As villagers move forward through time, their faith in this grand temple and its grounds grows ever deeper. This is not merely a temple and its grounds: it is a glimpse of Sanatan culture, a reflection of tradition, a centre of faith, and a beautiful, serene and pleasant land filled with spiritual energy beyond worldly sorrows. Wherever the residents of the village may be in the world, their hearts, their faith and their positive energy are here. Time will change, people will change, and people’s priorities will change, but this thread of tradition will always remain: in the thoughts and contributions of people of the past, in the tireless efforts of people today, and in the modern and transformative thinking of future generations. The purpose of writing this history is therefore to bind past, present and future generations together with an even stronger thread, so this tradition and culture remain intact and continue to move forward. It should also give future generations a vision for progress, while keeping our ancestors and their incomparable contributions alive in our memory. For it is not a person, but their memory, that can be immortal; and it is not society, but its culture, traditions and values, that can be immortal.

This is the story of Badshah Nagar, where a piece of land became an example of sacrifice and unity instead of dispute. It was 1982, when land consolidation was under way in the village. A grove belonging to Shri Thakur Dinesh Pratap Singh, situated to the east of the village, was set aside for the expansion of the Dalit settlement. Gradually, villagers began using the vacant land to thresh their harvested crops, and in everyday village speech people began calling the land “Aafar.”

The true beginning of this great centre of public faith came in 1993, when Shri Lalla Verma, Shri Divakar Verma and Shri Ram Teerath Verma first conceived the sacred idea of installing an idol of Maa Durga. The villagers made the historic decision to install an idol of Maa Durga and celebrate on this same “Aafar” land for the first time. Since that sacred decision, no one has claimed personal ownership of the land and there has never been any opposition. The old grove is now known as the grand and renowned temple grounds of Maa Durga, a living symbol of the faith, sacrifice and brotherhood of the people of Badshah Nagar.

That same year (1993), Shri Dinesh Pratap Singh’s efforts led to the formation of the first Durga Committee. In the early days, after the arrival of a sadhu-baba, Shri Devendra Narayan Chauhan took responsibility as the temple’s first priest.

The story of the temple’s physical development is an extraordinary example of the villagers’ collective participation and boundless devotion. Shrimati Premavati (wife of Late Mr Rameshwar Mishra) first began the sacred work of building the temple platform. While the platform was being filled and levelled, an idol of Maa Durga carved in stone emerged as earth was being dug from the pit directly behind the temple. This divine event filled all the villagers with immense devotion and joy, and deepened public faith in the temple. Moved by this divine experience, people from the entire village offered donations and support to the sacred idol of Maa Durga with complete devotion.

After this, around 2000, the temple walls were raised. In 2006, in celebration of the villagers unanimously electing a BDC, Shri Barati Lal Verma contributed 11,000 rupees. Along with additional donations from the villagers, masons Shri Sundar Lal Vishwakarma and Shri Shyam Lal Rajput laid the temple roof. Later, in 2015, proceeds of 14,000 rupees from the sale of the temple’s eucalyptus trees were used to complete the plastering and flooring under the leadership of Shri Sumit Mishra and Shri Rajesh Yadav.

In 2016, when the villagers again unanimously elected Shri Rajesh Kumar Rawat as BDC, his contribution of 1,50,000 rupees, together with an additional donation from the then Pradhan Shri Nirgesh Kumar Gautam, launched construction of the temple’s grand dome. Under the supervision of Shri Sumit Kumar Mishra, two masons from near Bhiteriya worked on the project for about two months. Shri Alok Kumar Chauhan, Shri Husaini Prasad Gautam, Shri Ram Singh Darzi and Shri Gunjan Kumar Verma served as the principal labourers, and the daily support of the entire village was also commendable. Over time, public representatives also contributed: Food and Civil Supplies Minister and Honourable MLA Shri Satish Sharma arranged interlocking paving in the grounds, while Block Pramukh Shri Mintu Singh had an interlocking road built along the boundary.

Various villagers have also made a special contribution to making the temple grounds beautiful and green. In 1997, Shri Ramsamujh Gautam (father of Shri Bhandari Baba Husaini Gautam) planted the old Pakariya tree near the electric pole and the two Neem trees in front of the temple. Around 2013, Shrimati Premavati (wife of Late Mr Rameshwar Mishra) had a revered platform built beside one of these Neem trees.

Later, in 2016, Shri Sunil Kumar Verma planted a new Pakariya sapling. On 6 November 2025, the platforms for the old and new Pakariya trees were completed under the leadership of Shri Sandeep Kumar Verma (son of Late Shri Ramteerath Verma), by masons Shri Shambhu Sharan Rajput and Shri Ram Karan Rawat, together with Shri Sushil Kumar Verma. In addition, around 2019, Shri Krishna Kumar Mishra (son of Late Shri Ramesh Datt Mishra) planted a Peepal tree, and Shri Narendra Kumar Verma (son of Late Shri Divakar Verma) planted a Banyan sapling, giving the grounds a spiritual shade.

The responsibility of leading the Durga Puja Committee has rested with devoted members in different periods. Shri Ramteerath Verma led the Committee ably from 1993. He was followed by Shri Sumit Kumar and Shri Rajesh Kumar Yadav from 2015 to 2016, then Shri Ramteerath Verma again from 2017 to 2020, and Shri Sandeep Kumar Verma from 2021 to the present. The incomparable contributions of Shri Ram Teerath Verma, Shri Lalla Verma, Shri Chaprasi Dada, Shri Ram Lakhan Rawat, Shri Nankau Dhiman, Shri Jagpal Verma, Shri Chandrika Prasad Prajapati, Shri Shyam Lal Rajput, Shri Benchu Yadav, Shri Ramjas Chauhan and Shri Sundar Lal Vishwakarma helped lay the foundations of this tradition and guide it.

Since 1993, the idol immersion tradition has been associated with Nawabganj Bridge, with the route changed from time to time in accordance with administrative directions and convenience. At first, the immersion procession travelled from Badshah Nagar through Anandpurwa and inside Dalmau, then by way of Niyamatganj and Gulampurwa to Nawabganj Bridge. Later, when the Anandpurwa brick-kiln road was built, the procession began going from Badshah Nagar by way of Pansara Nala and Niyamatganj. Finally, as arrangements improved, the tradition became to take the idol through the village and then around the outside of the southern villages of Kotwa and Chandamau to Nawabganj Bridge (the present ghat) for immersion. The permanent idol was installed at the temple on 13 April 2019; since then, the Kalash immersion has taken place along this same route.

With the aim of preserving and sharing this tradition in the digital age, the Samiti’s official website was created in 2026 following Shri Shiv Om Mishra’s suggestion and technical efforts. During the same period, at Shri Gunjan Kumar’s suggestion, the Samiti was given the name “Maa Durga Sewa Samiti.”

The village’s rich Ramlila tradition has passed through two phases:

First phase (1994): The first Ramlila performance began in 1994. Shri Ram Karan Chauhan, Shri Putti Lal Rawat, Shri Shiv Prasad Rajput, Shri Jagdev Rajput, Shri Shiv Baksh Chauhan, Shri Kanhaiya Lal Verma and Shri Chhavi Nath Chauhan played leading roles in its guidance and direction.

Lights of the Past (former artists of the first phase): Among the former artists who left an indelible mark on the stage in those early days and are no longer acting are Shri Umesh Chandra Mishra, Shri Hari Om Mishra, Shri Chhavi Nath Chauhan (Dani Baba), Shri Putti Lal Rawat, Shri Kanhaiya Lal Verma, Shri Tiwari Vishwakarma, Shri Mayaram Yadav, Shri Sandeep Rawat, Shri Pravesh Rawat, Shri Muralidhar Verma, Shri Tej Narayan Chauhan, Shri Ram Newaj Dhobi, Shri Mani Ram Gautam, Shri Devendra Narayan Chauhan, Shri Surya Kant Mishra, Shri Sunil Kumar Mishra, Shri Ram Karan Chauhan, Shri Dr. Shiv Baksh, Shri Shiv Prasad Rajput, Shri Jagdev Rajput, Shri Bechan Ali, Shri Buddhulal Rajput and Shri Videshi Rawat.

Second phase (2013 to the present): After a pause of several years, Ramlila was auspiciously revived around 2013 under the direction of Shri Sumit Kumar Mishra and Shri Putti Lal Rawat. In 2017, at Shri Ravi Kumar Yadav’s suggestion, it was named the “Nav Yuvak Ramlila Samiti.”

Lights of the Past (former artists of the second phase): Those who contributed as performers during the revival of the Nav Yuvak Ramlila Samiti but are no longer active on stage include Shri Rajesh Mishra (Pappu Dada), Shri Ankit Kanojia, Shri Shivanand Lal, Shri Lakshmi Prasad, Shri Chandrakant Mishra (Jackie), Shri Saurabh Mishra (Ankit), Shri Vikas Mishra (Chhotu), Shri Raj Bahadur Verma, Shri Ranjeet Verma, Shri Rohit Chaurasia and Shri Amaresh Verma.

At various times, Shri Ram Karan, Shri Putti Lal, Shri Sumit Kumar, Shri Gunjan Kumar and Shri Sunil Kumar Verma (Prof.) served as directors, guiding the Ramlila Committee. To preserve these historic moments of Ramlila, video recording began at Shri Gunjan Kumar’s suggestion. In chronological order, Shri Sushil Kumar Verma, Shri Raj Kapoor Verma, Shri Krishna Verma and Shri Amit Verma served as cameramen.