Built in 1823, the towering Shiva Temple sits at the entrance to Puthia village, overlooking a pond. It’s an excellent example of the pancha-ratna (five-spire) Hindu style common in northern India. Unfortunately, many of the stone carvings and sculptures were disfigured during the 1971 Liberation War. The inside contains a huge black-stone phallic representation of Shiva. Many Hindus come to make puja here early in the morning or in the early evening and, with the mist rising off the pond and the light setting everything aflame, this is a beautiful time to come. An even more rewarding time to visit is during one of the two major pilgrimages that take place here – one in March/April and the other during the final week of August.
