Kauleshwari Temple

Kauleshwari Temple stands on Kolhua Hill, 480 metres high, in the Chatra subdivision of Jharkhand, about 9.7 km from Hunterganj, now called Shaligram Ramnarayanpur, across the Lilajan River. Kauleshwari Devi, a form of Sati or Kali, is worshipped here, and the site is held to be a Shakta pitha where Sati's womb fell. Tradition says Rama, Sita and Lakshmana stayed here in exile, as did the Pandavas.

Hindu, Jain and Buddhist pilgrims come through the year. A footprint is believed to be that of Parshvanatha, the 23rd Jain tirthankara; a cave holds a 2-foot seated image of him among broken idols, and a rock-cut temple has Digambar Jain figures. The Buddha is said to have stayed here after his enlightenment and had his head shaved, and Buddhists still come for the same rite. The summit view is called akash lochan, the sky eye, and the Kolhua Mela is held at Vasant Panchami and Ram Navami.