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The famous temple of Mahabhairab located atop a hillock on
the northern part of Tezpur town is a
magnificent landmark and adds a magnetic charm and beauty to this
enchantingly beautiful town.
The Legend
The history of this temple, which is visited by devotees from all over
India, can be traced back to the age of the Puranas. Legend has it that
Banasura, the demon king, who had his capital at Tezpur, first introduced
the 'Linga' worship. Inside the temple of Mahabhairab there is perhaps the
largest stone-phallus or Shiva Linga in the entire world, which is said to
have been set up by Banasura.
The
archeologists, however, believe that the temple was built sometime during
8th to 10th century AD by the kings of the Salasthamba dynasty. That
originally there was a stone temple is evident from the huge pillars
scattered all around the temple. But the original temple was destroyed by
the ravages of time. It was however, rebuilt by successive kings and
rulers, until it was heavily damaged by the catastrophic earthquake of
1897.
Layout Of The Temple
The present structure of the temple was built sometime in the early part
of the present century by a great devotee and monk Sri Swayambar Bharati,
popularly known as "Naga Baba". After a few years, another monk
Sri Mahadeo Bharati built the "Nat Mandir" close to the temple.
After a few years another devotee built the cement-concrete idols of
Ganesh and Hanuman as "Dwarpaals" in front of the temple.
Since then the developmental works of the temple had been somewhat
sluggish although not completely stopped, one major work being the
exquisitely carved ornamental front pieces of the main entrance gate of
the temple by a local artist, Sri Joy Das.
The façade of the temple has been re-adorned and interiors
renovated. A surrounding wall is in the process of being built in order to
protect the precincts of this sacred temple.